


A Night to Cherish

by KingdomLight



Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Dating, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Light Angst, Love, Love Confessions, Romance, Shameless Smut, Slight FF7 Remake Spoilers, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:22:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24380491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingdomLight/pseuds/KingdomLight
Summary: After their return to the Gold Saucer while on their journey, Aerith decides it would be the perfect opportunity to provide Cloud with his payment - a promised date. An unexpected break into stardom, sneaking over a Chocobo raceway and a magical gondola ride await on a date night the two had waited for. It's an evening to cherish for the couple that never has a dull moment when they're together.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 31
Kudos: 146





	1. Lucky Couple

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by! I haven't written something in so long, but the remake inspired me to write a fic for this wonderful couple! Romance, fluff, a dash of angst, the fic's got it! 
> 
> Also, I wrote this with the intent of it being a one-shot romantic lemon, but it evolved into a multi-chapter story when more ideas came to mind. Don't worry, a lot of heavy smut is saved for the last chapter! A lot.

Cloud paced around his room, keeping an eye on the digital clock placed on the bedside table. The seconds slowly ticked by, each minute seeming longer than the next.

_7:50 P.M._

From the room's slightly opened window, he could hear the Gold Saucer's distant music playing quietly. It echoed quietly from the complex's main entertainment district not too far from the hotel, the cheerful tune carrying through the night sky.

Cloud turned from the window and looked at the clock in anticipation.

_7:51 P.M._

With a nervous sigh, he briskly walked to the bathroom, flicked on the lights and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He ran a hand through his hair in a quick attempt to help it regain some of its' usual spike. For the most part, it worked, but after a long day of traveling, the spikes tended to curve over by the evening. He looked over the rest of his usual appearance and crossed his arms, as if deep in thought. A pout formed on his lips.

The clothes on his back were all that he had on this long journey - and it's not like clothing suitable for date nights were something he'd ever needed before.

When the group had arrived at the Gold Saucer earlier in the evening, Aerith had mentioned to him that it was the perfect place for a date night. She figured, since he'd continued to be her bodyguard for much longer than they initially agreed upon, she needed to start giving Cloud the payment he was due. She joked that she now owed him far too many dates to count, causing a fierce blush from the blonde.

He wouldn't mind that one bit, he thought to himself.

Ever since their exchange earlier, he couldn't help but think about the promised date ahead of him. He didn't think he could feel so excited and nervous all at once, but given that it was the first official date he'd ever go on with the flower girl, his heart pounded in his chest. He wanted this night to go exceptionally well.

With a final huff, he turned from the mirror and left the bathroom. He figured his appearance should be the least of his worries. He just hoped to keep himself cool and collected with her, even while knowing that Aerith could crack that outer shell of his with a single word, glance or smile.

_7:55 P.M._

He let out a nervous exhale, turned to the door and left the room. He made his way down the inn's hallway which was lined with dozens of other rooms, where his friends and other guests had been staying.

When he and Aerith had arranged their plans earlier, they decided to meet at 8 PM sharp in the main plaza of the Gold Saucer. From that center hub, the rest of the complex's different sections branched off to the many different themed entertainment areas - attractions, shows, games, dining, shopping - the Gold Saucer had it all. They figured it wouldn't be difficult to find something to entertain them.

As Cloud left the inn and made his way towards the center of the complex, every step he took was accompanied by both the rising Gold Saucer theme song and the new, excited nerves that rose within him.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the main plaza just on time and after quickly peering through the crowd shuffling in from the entrance, realized that Aerith had not arrived yet. _Good_ , he thought, not wanting to show up late and keep her waiting. . He walked over to the far corner of the plaza and leaned back against a wall, waiting for the flower girl's arrival.

The room was flashy and energetic - a preview of all of the excitement and wonder that the Gold Saucer had to offer. Sparkling, bright lights danced and dazzled cross the floor. Flashing neon signs flashed and pointed towards the many different zones to explore. A glass atrium above the overhead lights showed the dark sky, giving a perfect view of the fireworks spectacular that happened several times during the night. A crowd of people had gathered around the dancing Cactuar and Chocobo mascot characters that were welcoming guests, taking pictures and signing autographs.

Cloud felt out-of-place being there without Aerith's warm cheer. Everything was so flashy, cheerful and fun - and here he was, keeping to himself with a stoic expression and hoping that a Moogle mascot wasn't going to approach him for a hug.

Although he didn't share the same expressions of excitement that other had at the Gold Saucer, he could see that there was an almost addictive cheerfulness that came with the place.

He looked up and noticed that the shimmering overhead lights had started to dim and the plaza slowly turned dark, the neon lights suddenly seeming much brighter.

An announcement came over the speakers in the room as the theme music faded. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we proudly present to you, the Gold Saucer Galactic Fireworks Spectacular!" The people in the room gathered and looked up through the glass atrium above.

But Cloud's focus turned elsewhere, as the sight of a woman in red appeared in the corner of his eye.

Amidst the fading flurry of people in the room, she appeared across from him, wearing the same dress that had taken his breath away once before. Suddenly, the entire room fell dark and silent to him and it seemed as though time had slowed around them, ever since the moment their eyes had met.

His eyes dilated the moment he laid eyes on her.

The red dress hugged her curves tightly, cascading down to the floor in flowing red rivets. When she moved, her dress flowed with her, the long slit up its' side revealing the smooth, delicate skin of her leg. Her hair fell loose behind her, swirled with a red ribbon and red carnations that dotted their way through her cascading brown locks. The bust of her dress was lined with sensual black lace, which accentuated her cleavage and the perfect curves of her breasts.

Cloud gulped and his mouth fell open once again, a quiet gasp escaping him when he saw her fully.

A bright, colorful flash of fireworks exploded overhead and the crowd cheered and clapped. Cloud sensed that this felt very familiar.

He couldn't take his eyes off her for a moment. It didn't matter how many more hundred times she would appear like this - he would remain captivated by her for each one of them.

Aerith noticed his unbroken gaze and a smile flashed across her lips. As she stepped toward him, the dazzling spotlights that danced around the room in synch with the fireworks seemed to follow her every move, framing her in a ray of sparkling light that seemed to lead the way directly to Cloud.

Her alluring beauty pulled Cloud from the wall, his body moving a few steps all on its own to meet her. It felt like the seconds passed slower than ever and he'd realized he hadn't blinked or taken a breath that whole time. It was almost like he was too captivated to do anything else.

Aerith stopped just before him and suppressed a quick laugh when it looked as if he forgot how to speak.

"Heya," she said, tilting her head at him when his words seemed caught in his throat.

"H-hey," Cloud stammered over his words, his cool exterior almost immediately shattering. "You look...that dress is...is-"

"Familiar?" She chirped.

Yes, _absolutely familiar_ , though not the word Cloud would use to describe how she looked in it. In fact, the words were lost in a jumble at the back of his tongue.

Aerith did a slight shift and swayed as if to show off the fabric, "You remember it, right?"

 _Remember it_? How could he possibly forget it, he thought to himself. "O-of course."

Aerith gave a small laugh and glanced down at her dress, smoothening out the red fabric. "You paid so much for it for just the one mission, I figured it'd be the perfect thing to wear tonight. I love it, it's such a nice dress."

"Y-yeah," he agreed and quickly shifted his gaze to the side.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Hmm, I sense a bit of deja vu. By that familiar look on your face, you seem like you appreciate the dress, too."

He made a small noise of surprise and his cheeks flushed remarkably more. He gulped his nerves down, "It was...worth the gil."

"Right," she brought up both of her hands to take hold of his and pulled him towards the center of the room. "So, now I'm making it my own personal mission to make sure you are rewarded with a wonderful night. Gotta make sure my bodyguard gets his payment, and it exceeds his expectations."

The corners of his lips twitched upward. This was a sort of payment from her that he could get used to. "Tonight is not just about me, you know. Anything you have in mind that you'd like to do?"

Aerith moved one of her hands off his and placed a finger on her chin, "Hmm...there's so much we can do, but where to start?"

He tilted his head as she thought and looked around at all the different 'portals' that separated the main plaza from the several themed zones. "Anything interesting?"

After she had spun in a full circle and examined the sights and surroundings of the Gold Saucer, she turned back to face him with a sincere smile. "Honestly, I just have one thing that I want out of tonight."

"And what's that?" He raised an eyebrow.

" _I want to cherish this night with you_."

Cloud was taken by surprise and his words were caught as a jumble in his throat. He felt his eyes soften and his heart leap all at once, especially with the way she looked at him.

"To make the most of every moment," she finished and gently squeezed his hand, her eyes sparkling up at him.

Cloud couldn't help but feel his lips curve. He slowly took a step toward her and rose his arm, wanting to gently touch her face.

"Hey, you two lovebirds! Over here!" A Gold Saucer staff member standing behind a podium tucked in the corner of the room shouted out to them. "Got somethin' that might interest a fine lookin' pair like yourself!"

Cloud and Aerith turned to the woman staff member and then looked back at each other with a quick, curious look. Before the staff member could call out to them louder, Aerith gently took Cloud's arm and wrapped her own around it as they walked toward the podium.

"Glad I got your attention," the woman stepped out from behind the podium with a wide grin.

"Yeah, along with everyone else in here, too," Cloud scoffed.

"Oh, you'll wipe that pout off your face when I tell you the great opportunity I have for the both of you! It's both of your lucky days! Your big break into stardom! The chance to be the famous stars of the Gold Saucer! You're just what we've been looking for this evening! You're my lucky couple!"

"Huh?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Us? Why'd you choose us?"

The staff member explained, "When I saw the two of you meet just now, I just knew I had to offer you this great gig! I know you're just gonna love it!"

"What is it," asked Aerith with a curious glance.

"To be the leading roles in the Gold Saucer's iconic play - The Legend of Prince Alfred! Every night here at the Gold Saucer, our production brings in droves of people to see the wonder and spectacle of this fantastic story!" The staff member laughed, "It's my job to scout out the lucky couple that will play our leads each night. Just my luck that I came across you two cuties!"

"Cu-ties?" He practically glared at the woman, "They must not be paying you good to do this gig."

"Absolutely not, but I take my scouting abilities very seriously! So, what do you say? Want to give it your all on the stage and be our shining stars?" The staff member paused, "Wait, you...are together, right?"

Cloud stammered over his words in search of an answer, his cheeks flushing, before he sheepishly turned to face Aerith.

"Together, hm?" She turned to smile up at Cloud, the softness in his ocean blue eyes looking almost as if he was asking her himself. She turned back to the staff member, " _Absolutely_."

Cloud blushed and his eyes fell, a small smile on his lips.

"Fantastic! You two are just what our show needs tonight! That leading STAR quality! Ooh, your handsome looks! Your beauty, just fit for a princess! Oh, this is going to be THE show of the year," the woman exclaimed. "Our production crew won't be able to stop talking about it."

"Wait, hold on," started Cloud. "We didn't say that we'd do it."

The woman's face fell then, as did her excitement. "What? Nooo...The show starts soon. If we don't find another duo, we'll have to cancel the performance. You can't even imagine what a total nightmare people can be when that happens."

Aerith looked up at Cloud and whispered, "She sounds like she's in a bit of a bind."

"I already know what you're thinking," he said, whispering back to her. "You wanna help her out, right?"

"You know me too well, sir," she gently squeezed his arm. "Besides, it could be a lot of fun."

"Getting up on a stage to perform for a bunch of strangers," he asked.

"You make it sound like you've never done it before." She leaned her face closer to his, teasing, "Hmm...the Honey Bee Inn, your dance moves, me, front and center to see it all. Again, A LOT of fun."

"Maybe for _you_ ," Cloud smirked, recalling the ridiculous dance routine he'd done with Andrea Rhodea back in Wallmarket - all for Aerith's enjoyment and entertainment. He nervously scratched the back of his head. The thought of being onstage in front of people to put on a show seemed terrifying to him - more so than taking on the world's fiercest monsters in an onslaught of violent battles.

"If you really don't want to do it, then we don't have to. I just thought it could be a lot of fun," she assured him. "But I know, getting onstage isn't for everybody and I want you to enjoy tonight just as much as I will. No worries."

The staff member's disappointment began to show.

Cloud looked at Aerith's smile and almost stopped her right then. Aerith did say it could be fun, so she was interested in the idea, wasn't she? They were the chosen 'lucky couple', after all. Did he make a mistake? But it seemed Aerith had already decided for them.

Aerith turned to the staff member, "I'm sorry, miss. It's our first date and I think we're going to pass on your offe-"

"We'll do it," Cloud finished.

Aerith instantly turned to him, surprised. "Wait, really?"

"Sure."

The staff member, who had been waiting with bated breath, shrieked, "YES! You just saved the performance AND my job!" She took a moment to radio the production crew to tell them she had casted the evening's stars.

Aerith turned to him, "You sure you really wanna do this? I want this night to go well, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, Cloud."

"Oh, I will be," Cloud tried to hide a small laugh. "But I think...maybe that might be a good thing? Yeah."

"Hmm. What changed your mind," she asked with a sweet smile.

"Well..." Cloud began, "I'll probably hate it. I'll be embarrassed as all hell like last time, but if you're up there with me..."

"I can take the embarrassment off of you by doing something ten times more embarrassing to distract the crowd," she suggested with a giggle.

He rolled his eyes and smiled, "I was going to say that you'll make me feel better about being up there."

She gave a content sigh and smiled, "Wow. Look at you, Cloud Strife."

"What?"

She tilted her head and leaned toward him, "You really are a jack-of-all-trades, aren't you? Merc. Ex-soldier. Bodyguard. Actor. What other hidden talents do you have tucked away under all that mystery and muscle?"

Cloud blushed and averted his gaze then. He answered modestly, "I'm nothin' special."

"Oh, that isn't the least bit true." She shook her head and smiled at his shyness, his awkwardness. So cool and confident, but so shy and charming and genuine all at once.

She thought to herself with a smile that looked like she'd been daydreaming.

It was all of this that set him _apart_. It was everything that Cloud Strife _was_ that filled her heart. When she thought of everything that made Cloud _Cloud,_ she knew heart belonged to hi-' _Okay, stop daydreaming,'_ ' she told herself.

"Okay, guys. We're ready for you!" The staff member returned her attention to the couple then.

She led them to a door off to the side of the plaza, which brought them to a long backstage hallway that ran the entire length behind the Gold Saucer theater. They made their way down the hall passing performers in various stages of makeup and wardrobe prep, stagehands and crew members filing in and out of backstage areas and a King actor getting into an argument with his girlfriend over the phone.

Aerith turned back and flashed a sweet smile to Cloud.

A stage manager appeared from the side and quickly handed Cloud a script binder, while simultaneously communicating several messages to the cast and crew through their headpiece. "Here you are, sir! Read it quickly, so you don't mess up!"

"Wait, what?" Cloud's eyes grew wide. He turned to Aerith, but she was quickly being led farther down the hall to a separate dressing room.

"Get our leading male into wardrobe! Showtime is in 20!"

"Uh..." Cloud glanced around, as two crew members led him to a dressing room.

"Break a leg, Cloud!" Aerith called out to him from down the hall. "I'll see you out there!"

"What did I get myself into," he mumbled to himself.

He was sat down on a chair in the dressing room just as a fleet of other crew members arrived on the scene to prepare Cloud for his big Gold Saucer stage debut.

He opened the script to flip through pages of cheesy dialogue just as one of the stagehands revealed to him the lavish prince costume he was to wear for the performance.

' _The things I'll do for that girl.._.'


	2. Seizing the Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all that read the first chapter and gave kudos! Ready for a cheesy, tacky stage production of The Adventures of Prince Alfred starring Cloud and Aerith? Let's go! Enjoy the sappiness.

"Five minutes to showtime! Places, cast! Five minutes to show time! Get our female lead below the deck and to the trap door!"

There was a buzz of excitement that filled the backstage areas and stage as the cast and crew prepared and took their places for the nightly performance of The Legend of Prince Alfred. The hall was filled with actors rushing to their places and crew members funneling on and offstage with props and equipment.

"Everyone places for the top of show! How is our lead male doing?"

Behind one dressing room door, there was a bit of rustling and chatter, as two show dressers were preparing Cloud for the show and getting him into costume.

"Remember to turn out to the audience. No side profile. Not directly out to the audience. You have to angle your body so it looks like you're talking to the other actors, but the audience can still see your face," one male dresser said as they pulled Cloud's long prince boots up his legs.

"O-okay?" Cloud replied, trying to comprehend.

"Remember to stand downstage center for when the dragon arrives in the battle scene. It's controlled by a machine offstage and has a hard time stopping. Might hit you if you're in the wrong place," the other male dresser said, threading the front of Cloud's tunic shirt.

"Dragon battle, what?" Cloud said, quickly flipping through the script, hopelessly. There was so much dialogue from characters that weren't even his own, there was no way he could memorize anything on such short notice. "Ugh, where's downstage again?"

"It's the front of the stage," one dresser said, before tightly wrapping a belt with a royal golden buckler around Cloud's waist, too tight by a notch or two.

"Tight," Cloud slightly grimaced in pain.

"Don't even worry about the script," the other dresser informed, tossing a dark brown vest over Cloud's shoulders and fastening it. It perfectly matched the boots that rose high up on his royal pants. "There's a teleprompter at the very back of the theater that will be feeding you your lines in case you forget. People don't even realize, well, at least not most of the time."

"That's a relief, at least," Cloud sighed. At least he didn't have to worry about memorizing and forgetting lines. "Okay...I can do this."

"Relax, bud," one dresser reassured him, as he clipped the royal red cape to the armor that adorned Cloud's shoulders. "You got this. All you gotta do is slay the dragon, get the girl and seize the moment."  
Cloud remained silent and nodded.

The other dresser quickly strapped a fake sword to Cloud's belt and placed a golden, rubied crown on top of Cloud's head. "While we're at it, you know any cool sword skills you can really 'WOW' the audience with after the dragon battle?"

The blonde paused for a moment, before he smirked. If there was one thing he could do right on stage tonight...

Cloud quickly pulled the sword from his belt. He victoriously spun it around in the air a few times as if hearing an imaginary, trumpeted fanfare and held the sword behind his back in a heroic stance.

"Holy @#%$!" "Ohmygahsocool!" The dressers said at once. "You got this in the bag. Now, let's get you in place. The show will start any minute!"

Cloud was rushed down the hallway, up through the stage's wings and onto the stage itself. A stagehand placed him on a marked X at the center of the stage.

"Don't worry! The cast and crew are here to help. We'll keep the show rolling if you find yourself in a rut," they said, patting him on the back, before running off into the wings.

Cloud took a deep breath, staring at the backside of the curtain in front of him. From beyond it, he could hear the murmurs and voices of the distant audience. There was a buzz of excitement through the theater, as a particular scouting agent had marketed this specific performance as being one of Gold Saucer's best ever.

Another deep breath passed through him. He hated feeling nervous and insecure, but it was too late to back out now when he was in position and it was showtime. 

"I can do this...I can do this," he reminded himself. He scrambled through the excerpts of script lines that he could barely remember and started reciting them to himself, trying to avoid an embarrassing mess of a performance. "I am Prince Alfred and I will seize this moment."

Cloud rolled his eyes and shook his head at the tacky writing. "I am...Prince Alfred and I will seize THIS moment...ugh, no, that's not right. I AM Prince Alfred...and I-"

His voice trailed on as he practiced his lines to himself, just as a curtain in the wings on stage left were pulled back and Aerith peaked through, watching as Cloud rehearsed to himself. 

'Too cute,' she thought to herself. Her eyes softened and a tender smile spread across her face as she watched him. She felt a warmth inside, seeing Cloud go from being reluctant to performing at all to really committing himself to giving a good performance.

"I am Prince Alfred and I _WILL_ seize this moment!" Cloud repeated to himself, this time with more valor, a resounding confidence that echoed towards the wings and made the stagehands nearly applaud.

Aerith suppressed a small laugh and her smile grew. He was just too cute. She was so taken in by his quiet rehearsing, that she noticed his princely attire only a moment later. Adorned in royal armor that was so well-fitted, and with a lavish red cape, Aerith heard herself gasp and her cheeks warm when she took in his appearance.

'He's just so...so...' Aerith thought to herself.

" _Handsome_ , isn't he?" The stage manager voiced over her shoulder, as the two of them watched him from the wings. "Wow, look at him really go for it! A man that'll commit to doing good in as something as silly as this, that's a man worth keeping, honey."

Aerith turned back to the woman and smiled, "He's definitely a keeper."

"It'll be a wonderful show!" The stage manager said, bringing Aerith away from the wings. "Oh, I just can't wait for the 'True Love's Kiss' scene between you two! It'll be a beautiful finale!"

Aerith stopped in her tracks, her red dress flowing out behind her. "Wait, what? ' _True Love's Kiss'_ scene? What 'True Love's Kiss' scene?"

"It's in the script. The finale of the show! You know, the Dragon King goes ker-plunk! Then, the prince saves the day and breaks the curse with a kiss," the stage manager told Aerith. "You have kissed each other, haven't you?"

Aerith sheepishly grinned, blushed and shook her head.

"Well, first time for everything, hon!" The stage manager laughed, quickly walking away from the stage as the show was ready to start.

Aerith turned back to the still-rehearsing Cloud and felt her heart beat faster. A True Love's Kiss scene? Their first kiss, if it were to happen, in front of all these people? Not necessarily what she had in mind, but...

'First time for everything, I suppose,' she thought to herself with a smile.

Cloud was pulled from his rehearsing when the lights on the stage dimmed and an announcement was heard in the theater.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, the Gold Saucer Theatre Company proudly presents - The Legend of Prince Alfred!"

A royal orchestral symphony commenced and boomed throughout the theater as the overture to the show began.

A dozen other actors and actresses dressed as village townspeople took their place on the stage alongside Cloud. He didn't understand the phrase, but assumed it was a form of wishing someone luck.

The overture reached its' climax and just it had done so, the curtain began to rise accompanied by a royal kingdom fanfare.

The moment the curtain rose, Cloud squinted from the bright lines that glared down towards the stage from above and from the lighting rig above the audience. Cloud fought the urge to cover the bright lights with his hand, squinting and blinking a few times before they slightly adjusted.

As the royal fanfare continued, a huge castle set piece moved onstage from the wings. A plump actor playing the role of a king sat on an ornately decorated throne on the castle balcony. The King rose from the throne and stood at the balcony's railing.

A murmuring began between the townspeople, as Cloud stood there looking from left to right at the other actors. He quickly stared out into the audience, realizing that there was indeed a teleprompter at the back of the theater that would be delivering lines.

His eyes wandered to the audience and it was a packed house. It was strange. He thought he would be stricken with stage fright, but the moment the curtain rose and his eyes adjusted to the lights, only the feeling of sweeping butterflies remained in his stomach.

His attention was caught when the King called out from over the balcony.

"Welcome to the kingdom on this momentous day, my loyal subjects!" The king jovially cried, as the townspeople ensemble clapped and cheered. "Today, we have gathered to celebrate a wonderful occasion - the birth of my daughter, Princess Rosa!"

From within the castle doors, two guards appeared and held banners of the kingdom's royal insignia. When they parted, Aerith appeared from behind in the same flowing red dress that cascaded down her form.

Cloud couldn't help but notice the audible gasps from the audience over the princess' beauty. He couldn't blame them, either. A small smile appeared on his lips when her entrance was met with applause from the audience.

He blushed when her eyes met him and she gave him a subtle wink.

The King continued, "To commemorate this wonderful occasion, a festival in her honor! May this kingdom reign forever more, guided by happiness and love! Let the festivities begin!"

With that, a royal waltz number resumed onstage, where the ensemble members partnered up and a beautifully choreographed dance routine played out. Cloud curiously looked around at first, but never felt uncertain, as the other actors and actresses would take him by the arm and bring him across the stage. He just hoped he'd appear as graceful as the other dancers and not look like some clunky, uncoordinated mess.

At that same moment, Aerith was also being guided across the stage by the other actors, through subtle taps and pulls. As the waltz number continued, Cloud and Aerith circled across the stage opposite of each other. The ensemble members moved them in tune with the music, drawing them closer and closer together, until...

Cloud and Aerith met face to face in the center of the stage, a blush across both of their faces. The stage around them seemed to fade, as a dream-like setting sunk in. Smoke filled the stage, rose petals began to fall from the deck above and the dancers began to move in slow motion around the stage.

When the teleprompter lit up with his lines, Cloud cleared his throat and spoke out. "P-Princess Rosa. It is my honor." He politely bowed.

"The honor is mine," Aerith read off the digital sign and turned to face Cloud, eyes discreetly wavering between him and the teleprompter. "Please, what is your name?"

"Prince Alfred."

"Prince Alfred? Which kingdom do you reign from?"

"A kingdom...not too far away from here. It's in a faraway land." Cloud said, reading from the sign as he turned from Aerith. The delivery was choppy to say the least, but he couldn't tell if it was his 'acting'...or the clunky dialogue itself.

Much like the rest of the play, the dialogue of the scene was tacky and cheesy, but what would they expect?

"It must be a very faraway if you've forgotten its' name since you left," the princess teased, before she placed a finger to her chin and thought for a long while. "You're...not an actual prince, are you?"

"What makes you say that," the prince said.

"The royals of other kingdoms never mingle with the townspeople during festivals, except you," she said matter-of-factly.

"Well, you would know how royals can be, wouldn't you," the prince asked.

"I would...and I wish I wouldn't," the princess confessed. "An entire world awaits beyond those castle walls and I've never stepped a foot outside to see it. A whole kingdom of possibility...right within my reach, but...my father forbids me from leaving the castle. Says the outside world is full too dangerous. But he just...he doesn't understand. I'd give all the treasure in the castle just to have one adventure outside of the kingdom."

Cloud laughed a bit to himself, admiring Aerith's own commitment to the role. It sounded remarkably believable, but he knew she was speaking from her own experience of having been trapped inside Midgar her whole life until now.

"I didn't imagine royalty would be as genuine as you," the prince said. "You're right, though. I'm not a prince."

The princess turned back to him and smiled, "Then why tell everyone that you are?"

"Because without the crown and the gold...maybe I..." Cloud stuttered through the sentence a bit, "...maybe I wouldn't be enough."

Again, cheesy dialogue to say the least, but it resonated deep within Cloud. 

The princess moved closer towards him. "Well, you don't need any of that to be a prince. All I need is what's inside here," she said, placing a hand over his heart, which was met with cooing 'aws' from the audience. The writing was tacky and corny, but it worked.

The King's familiar voice came through the speakers and narrated. "And so, the Princess and her 'prince' found the truth within another. One born of royalty, longing to see the outside world as a commoner. The other, a commoner himself, but hidden deep within, a princely heart of gold."

Cloud shifted his eyes back to the teleprompter. "Allow me to be the one to show you the outside world, to help you live the adventure you've always dreamed of."

"You would do that for me," the princess asked, sincerely.

"If you'd allow it," the prince asked, lowering himself on one knee before her. "I'll show you the outside world and all of the wonders that await within it."

She slowly stepped towards him, as he took her hand. "Oh, Clou-ALFRED. I would...I would love to go with y-"

Suddenly, the lights went dark. Thunder clapped overhead and lightning effects flashed across the stage. In the midst of the blackout and lightning effects, a stagehand secretly ran out and strapped Aerith into a wired harness, before quickly retreating offstage again.

A giant roar sounded, followed by the monstrous laughter of the Evil Dragon King!

With a startled cry, Aerith was lifted up into the air by wires, as a dramatic choir underscored the moment.

"Prince Alfred!" The princess cried, as she reached out for her prince, but it was futile. She was swept into the air by an unseen force and pulled offstage, just as the thunder and lightning finished.

"AERITH!" Cloud cried out and reached up to where she was pulled offstage just as all went silent. He stood there for a moment, awkwardly realizing his mistake. "I-I mean...Princess Rosa...!"

The audience filled with some laughs, while others applauded Cloud's mistake and appreciated the comedy that can come with live theater mistakes. The clapping continued and at least made it easier for Cloud to brush off his mistake and continue on.

The King reappeared from within the castle doors with dramatic flair, "Oh, no! My dear daughter, swept away into the clutches of Valvados, the Evil Dragon King! However, will I rescue her and return peace and love to the kingdom?!"

A wizard and royal knight character appeared to aid the King, exchanging dialogue as they formed a plan to save the princess and defeat Valvados. Cloud stood there, clueless of what to do and hopeful that the other actors would lead him alone.

"Boo...boo!" Cloud heard a familiar voice whisper from the front row of the audience and turned his head to look, leaving the other actors to continue the scene. "Boo! Cloud sucks!"

"Yuffie...?" Cloud whispered out into the audience, seeing the young ninja sitting front and center, shoveling handfuls of popcorn into her mouth from a Choco the Chocobo souvenir popcorn bucket. "What the hell are you doing here,' he whispered.

"What's it look like? I came to see the show," she whispered back, setting the popcorn down. "It's the tackiest thing I've ever seen and you're not helping it. Yet, I'm entertained."

He rolled his eyes and the sarcasm dripped off his tongue, "Thanks so much." He turned his attention back to the three actors.

"My magic is no use against an enemy as formidable as Valvados! It is futile! Oh, whoever can save this day?" The wizard character said again.

There was a long silence that followed, as Cloud tried to catch up with the scene.

The wizard then cleared his throat, "I SAID...oh, WHOEVER can save this day!?" He made a grand gesture over to Cloud at the other side of the stage.

"Psst!" The royal knight actor whispered over to Cloud, "Hey, it's your line!"

"O-oh," Cloud turned back out to the audience, a flustered expression on his face. He quickly looked up to the teleprompter to get his line. "U-uh...I will."

The King, wizard and knight all gave an overly dramatic gasp at Prince Alfred's response.

Cloud stepped to the front of the stage, triumphantly, "I am Prince Alfred...and I _WILL_ seize this moment!"  
There was a loud cheer from the audience.

"HA!" Yuffie gave a loud laugh. Cloud winced from the bright flash of her disposable camera. She needed to capture this moment and never, ever let him live it down.

"My young man," the King called over to Cloud. "Please, return the princess to our kingdom. I would forever be indebted you! Please reunite with her and restore or kingdom's light!"

The three other actors left the stage, as did the castle set. In its place, low, smoky mist covered the stage floor and rocky, cliffside mountain set pieces moved from the sides of the stage. A large, formidable dungeon lair descended down from the ceiling at the back of the stage.

The King's familiar voice began to narrate again, "And so, Prince Alfred set off, on a journey to rescue Princess Rosa and restore the kingdom's light. BUT - not without a great fight!"

Actors dressed as the Evil Dragon King's evil guards appeared from the sides of the stage, drawing their fake swords and shields. They gave a fierce battle cry that echoed throughout the theater. A fight scene commenced as the guards performed a choreographed battle scene around Cloud.

"Pretend to fight back," one of the dancing guards whispered to him. "Make it look cool!"

Another whispered in, "Really give it your all!"

"Give me a break..." Cloud muttered to himself, pulling the fake sword from his belt and holding it steady with such precision, it made the other actors look amateur and unskilled. 

He pretended to slash and fight his way through the guards, none of them daring to come close enough to him. With the way he skillfully wielded the sword, it looked like he could actually hurt them with ease. The audience praised Cloud's sword-wielding combat moves and applauded his performance. Cloud couldn't help but smirk in accomplishment at the recognition.

"Yeah, yeah..." Yuffie rolled her eyes and stuffed another handful of popcorn into her mouth. "Big whoop."

"But Prince Alfred prevailed..." the King's voice continued to narrate, as the guard actors led from the stage, leaving Cloud center stage alone, his sword drawn. "The prince tore through the Evil Dragon King's lair, climbing to its' highest tower and then..."

A single ray of light lit from above. From within the stage, Aerith laid across a flower-adorned bed frame that rose on trap door. Her eyes were closed and a small smile was painted on her lips. Her hands were held over her stomach, a small bouquet of lilies placed within. Her red dress draped over the side of frame and cascaded down towards Cloud, almost as if a red carpet welcoming him to her.  


"Aerith..." he whispered, just soft enough for only her to here.

He slowly stepped towards her sleeping form, a beautiful crescendo rising behind his every step.

"But the princess would not wake..." the King's voice returned. "She was lost to an eternal sleep - a curse placed upon her by none other than the Evil Dragon King himself! An evil curse as powerful as that could only be broken by something incredibly more powerful - true love! A true love's kiss!"

Wait, what?! _True Love's Kiss???_

" _Ah_ -" Cloud's cheeks instantly flushed redder than they ever had been with his small noise of surprise and he instantly turned to look at the 'sleeping' Aerith, perhaps only imagining the soft smile on her lips grow slightly. 

Cloud felt warmth through him and his heart raced, the feeling of butterflies returning for the first time since the show started. Would this be alright? Would she want a kiss? He certainly did, he couldn't deny it, but what about her? Would she have wanted this with him, right there on stage like that? His heart raced miles at the thought.

He was so deep in thought he hadn't even realized he'd been frozen there. Aerith slyly crept an eye open to make sure he was doing okay.

"Now's the time, Prince Alfred! _Seize the moment_ ," the King's voice echoed.

Cloud gulped and felt his heart leap, as he took another step closer to her. Just as he had done so, a ferocious roar shook the theater and Cloud looked up.

Flames erupted from the edge of the stage and a briar of thorns flooded from the wings. Descending from the rafters above the stage, a green mechanical dragon puppeteered by a series of moving wires appeared, its large wings flapping at its' side from hidden actors. A dramatic battle score played under Valvados' grand appearance and the dragon let out an evil laugh.

Cloud skillfully unsheathed his sword and pointed it up at the enemy. The crowd went wild.

"HAHAHA, it is I, Valvados! You really think you are a match for me, young prince?" Another villainous laugh shook the theater. "You won't be able to save her...not now, not ever!"

Suddenly, Cloud gasped and held his head, a sharp pain shooting through his skull, as if it was being stabbed with a knife. _A green hue passed over his vision and he saw Aerith smiling up at him, her hands clasped in prayer_. It only lasted for a second, before the image faded and all returned to normal. 

He gasped and his eyes went wide. He felt paralyzed from the image.

"HAHAHA _, pitiful fool_!" Valvados' voice echoed through the theater, but now...in Cloud's mind, it was unmistakable. The dragon's voice had transformed into Sephiroth's and a cold chill struck down his spine, "How could you be so foolish to fall for her? She warned you not to...and now, she's lost to you. _Forever_."

A second sharp pain struck through Cloud, as he grimaced and gripped his forehead. _His vision blurred to the hazy green once again. He saw Aerith's ribbon unravel itself and her hair falling loose, as an orb of pure materia bounced and fell to the waters below._

_At once, a thousand images of Aerith seemed to erupt through his mind - both moments he shared with her and moments they'd yet to have. Yet, it felt like they had shared these moments in a life once before. The images flashed before him like a million bright lights and he could barely make sense of what he saw._

_Sephiroth's laughter overlapped in the back of his mind._

_"You can't save her, Cloud. You never could."_

_He gripped his head and cried out,_ "ENOUGH!" 

The flood of images stopped immediately.

In a single move, Cloud maneuvered his sword through the air and with a triumphant slash, the fake sword went flying up toward the dragon. It severed through each one of its suspension wires in a single bound. The mechanical dragon puppet came crashing down, splintering and breaking apart into a dozen broken pieces when it hit the stage floor. The dragon sputtered and sparked in a crumpled heap.

The crowd erupted in a fanfare of cheers and applause, while Cloud tried to pull himself together.

Off stage left, the stage manager's jaw practically hit the stage floor. "What the hell?! That wasn't supposed to happen! Our dragon is ruined!"

When the audience's cheers had died down, Cloud recovered and turned back to face the still 'sleeping' Aerith.

He approached Aerith, a determined gaze on his face as he knelt down at her side. Being so close to her, he was pleasantly overwhelmed by the scent of flowers. He carefully studied her face with a soft smile. So beautiful, gentle, he thought to himself.

"True Love's Kiss..." Cloud said into the heavy air that floated between them and he felt his heart leap. He leaned in closer to her, feelings his cheeks warm. He gently rose a hand to cup her cheek gently, and...

A third piercing pain struck him and he gritted out in pain through his teeth as the sting shot through his forehead.

_The green haze returned over him. He was cradling her lifeless body in his arms as he rocked her back and forth, his hand on her cheek. Her skin was as cold as ice and her head slumped to rest on his chest. He let out a guttural cry to the skies above, tears flooding from his eyes. She was gone._

The green hue faded and reality returned, and as it did, tears flooded from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks, dotting the stage floor. More tears than he could imagine. He felt the overwhelming sadness and despair of losing her - even as he held his hand to her warm cheek. 

He couldn't explain it - he felt as if he'd lost her once before and the overwhelming devastation and heartbreak he'd felt came rushing back to him in an instant.

He was frozen in place, his lip trembling as he cried.

A moment later, the crumpled dragon at the back of the stage began to sputter uncontrollably, spewing smoke and electric sparks. It shook and rattled itself, before a small fire broke out from its' jaw and there was a gasp of surprise from the audience.

Cloud instantly turned his face to wipe his tears and spotted the smoking blaze. Aerith sat up when she heard the cry of panic from the audience. 

This play was not getting a grand finale tonight.

The curtain quickly dropped as a series of stagehands came running out with fire extinguishers, putting out the blaze and trying to find a way to soothe the rage of the mechanical dragon. An announcement was made out into the theater that told the crowd that the rest of the performance had been cancelled, which was met with a series of disgruntled and disappointed reactions from the audience as they quickly shuffled out of the theater.

"Well, if there's one thing that's certain, this'll be the most eventful stage production the place will ever see," the stage manager came rushing onstage, heading towards the big mess of metal, burnt dragon parts. She turned to Cloud and Aerith, "You guys okay? You both did really well tonight. Until you destroyed the dragon, prince."

"Yeah...sorry." Cloud frowned, deeply bothered by something else on his mind.

"Don't worry about it. That thing only had one or two performances left in it before it would have crashed on its' own anyway. Thankfully, the ticket sales from tonight's performance alone can buy us ten of these suckers," she said, slapping the broken dragon on the head. "Now you two scram outta here before I charge you for the damage."

"Noted, will do," Aerith lifted herself off of the bed platform.

Cloud remained silent, still upset and dazed from before, but keeping his eyes on Aerith - almost as if she would disappear any moment.

"You did great tonight. I think you won the audience over, Cloud. I'm really proud of you for giving it a chance," Aerith said, turning back to him with a soft smile. "It's a shame we didn't get that 'True Love's Kiss' moment, though. I really wanted you to...seize that moment."

She turned and her hair fell behind her. She gave him a quick wink before she moved offstage.

"Y-yeah..." 

Cloud stood at the center of the stage all on his own now as the theater around him dimmed in silence, as the overhead lights switched off one by one.

His eyes lowered; he couldn't shake the visions of Aerith from flooding his mind. The heartbreak and pain he felt was...too much. No - _too real_.

Without her, he felt empty and broken.

He felt... _hollow_.

The stage went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cloud is :( now.  
> Same.  
> Will he tell Aerith what he saw? Does she already know? Will a true love's kiss still happen? Or did this date just take a turn for the worse?  
> We shall see!


	3. Midnight Rendezvous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks once again for reading, I appreciate all the comments and kudos! Cloud and Aerith leave the theater behind to have some time alone for themselves. Never a dull moment with these two. Please enjoy!

Back in the main plaza of the Gold Saucer, Aerith patiently waited for Cloud to change out of his prince costume. While hanging out by the backstage door, several theater-goers came up to congratulate her on her performance or complimented her on her beautiful dress. She waved at a group of kids that wanted to see the princess, just as Cloud emerged from the door.

"Ah, there's the handsome prince," she said, turning to him with a smile. "I'm impressed, Mr. Strife. Merc missions. Flower picking. Acting. Is there anything you can't do?"

"I won't be making a hobby out of it. Trust me," he said, scratching the back of his head.

"That's okay," her soft laughter followed. "I'm just happy we got the chance to be a part of it. It was a lot of fun up until that dragon had to come along and ruin things."

"Yeah..." Cloud shifted his gaze from her. "Sorry we didn't get to finish the play."

"Don't worry. We can say that we've done it once, we won't have to get up on stage again," she reassured.

"Actually..." Cloud started

"Hm?"

"It wasn't all that bad," he turned to her. "I guess...I had a little fun."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Don't know if I'll ever do it again...or if they'll ever pick me again after what happened with that dragon, but...if I do, you'll have to be on stage with me, too."

"Oh, you..." Aerith beamed up at him and wrapped her arm around his own. "Night's still young. Not tired yet, are you?"

Tired, no, not at all - _not with her_. But he couldn't lie to himself, his mind was elsewhere now - in a place where those same strange images flashed through his mind. That fear and heartbreak he couldn't shake - that hollow, emptiness.

"Cloud? Earth to Cloud," she leaned in closer to his face to get his attention when he seemed frozen there.

" _Uh-_ no! No, I'm not tired" he shook his head from those concerning thoughts and tried to force a smile. "I'm...fine."

Aerith tilted her head, her eyebrow rising. She knew better and with him, she could always tell if something was bothering him. "Are you sure? You look a little pale."

"No, no. I'm...I'm just..." He stopped when he felt Aerith gently place her hand on the side of his face and held him there tenderly. They were close enough that their eyes met and gazed into one another's.

"Cloud, are you sure you're okay?" She looked concerned. She knew, undoubtedly, that something was indeed bothering him, even if he wouldn't admit it himself.

"I'm okay. Really," he gave a reassuring smile. He lied, "Maybe just...a little tired after the day of traveling, but I won't let effect the rest of the night."

"Oh, okay," Aerith said, not convinced, but she wasn't going to force Cloud to open up if he wasn't ready to. She knew that would never work. "Let's continue our date then, shall we?"

"Let's," he smirked, trying to push the visions from his mind.

"We've got some arcade games and rides over that way. I think they're open for another hour or so," she thought with a finger pressed to her lips. "Oh, hey, I heard that the new GalaxyCoaster is amazing! Really fun and zaps you around at lightning speed! The Gold Saucer is promoting it on all their signs."

Cloud nearly felt his own face turn green. " _Urgk...uhh_ , I'm not sure about that...heh."

"Now you look really...really pale...," tilted her head and leaned her face closer to his.

"I...get motion sickness pretty easily. It's always been like this," he shrugged and shook his head. "One ride on that...thing and I'll be out of it for the rest of the night and most of tomorrow."

"Oh, no! Well, we don't want that," she shook her head. "I wanna do something we can both enjoy - no motion sickness involved."

"Yeah, sorry..."

"No, don't worry about it at all. We don't need any rides or rollercoasters on a date. I just..." she thought for a moment and smiled. "I just want to spend the night with you...doing anything. Or nothing at all." She let out a laugh, "It doesn't matter. As long as it's with you."

"I can do that," he gave her a tender smile. 

She gave a light tug on his arm and directed him towards an open breezeway that led away from the flashy main complex. "Come on, let's go see what we can find down this way. Gotta make sure my bodyguard enjoys his night."

Cloud felt that familiar warmth rush to his cheeks again when it came to her. It didn't matter how they spent their time to him, either.

But...her words ' _as long as she was with him_ '? 

Those string of words felt foreign to him. No one had ever said such a thing like that to him before. It felt unreal, and yet, here this beautiful flower girl was, making him feel included and special and wanting nothing more than for him to feel wanted.

He caught himself by surprise a moment later and hoped he wasn't about to make a mistake. He moved his arm from her hold and instead let his hand fall down to meet hers, before gently taking it and lacing their fingers together.

Surprised, Aerith looked down at their interlocked hands with a soft gaze. She felt the crimson flush on her cheeks as well and turned to him.

"Is...is this okay," he asked with a charming innocence.

"Oh, definitely," she gave a sweet smile and gently squeezed his hand.

Cloud gave a quiet, victorious exhale, content that his long thought-out decision to 'seize the moment' paid off greatly. He gently squeezed her hand in response back.

The breezeway led to a long landing that ran alongside a section of the chocobo raceway track. The buzzing lamplights filled the air with a gentle hum and their light dotting down the pathway in a romantic, quaint golden glow. Occasionally, a fleet of chocobos and their riders would scurry by on the track, before disappearing further down. A small landing wall on the left was raised just a bit to provide a perfect view to watch over the race segment from a small distance above. During the busier hours, it was likely this area was bustling with people.

But at this time of night, the breezeway was quiet and near empty. Only a few people came passing by to exit, leaving the space all to Cloud and Aerith. Hand in hand, the two walked down the lamp-lit path in silence. They didn't need to say anything. It was a comfortable silence that filled the air between them, one filled with their contentment of being together.

"Wow," Aerith marveled as a fleet of several colored chocobos came bolting by. They were gone just as soon as they had arrived. "Chocobo races are a big draw to this place, huh?"

"Yeah, Barret and Cid like to bet on the races. That's what they do for 'fun' here. I don't get it," he shrugged.

She gave a small chuckle and nodded.

"Should we...hang around here and watch a few laps," he suggested.

"Sounds like a good plan," she said, gently pulling him along until they reached the wall to look below at the racing track. "Hmm..."

He tilted his head, "You good?"

"Of course," she replied with an innocent chirp, before she reached up on the edge of the wall and carefully pulled herself up.

" _Ah_!" Cloud stuttered and reached out for her, gently taking hold of her wrist as she climbed up onto the waist-high wall. "I don't think we're allowed to be up there. Could be dangerous."

"Hmm, I don't see anyone trying to stop us," she said with a glint of mischief in her eyes. She gently clutched her dress up as she stood, to not accidentally trip over the red fabric.

"But your dress. You could fall and...," he continued, not letting go of his hold on her wrist. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"It'll be fine. I have my bodyguard with me. He'll save me if I fall," she tilted her head, before placing her hands on her hips. "Besides, I told you not to coddle me like some princess, remember?"

"I remember," his lips twitched upward. "Being one on stage doesn't count, I guess?"

"Nope, now join me up here," she extended a hand down to him. "I won't be able to save you if you're all the way down there, either."

"Oh, interesting." He took her hand, deciding to play back at her. "Now I'll be needing saving?"

"YUP. This bodyguard thing can work both ways, you know." She helped hoist him up onto the wall along with her. "There we go. Look at you breakin' all the rules."

"Cuz you did it first. If we end up gettin' caught, I'm blaming you," he teased.

"I think we can take on a few security guards if they want to give us a hard time. At least I can," she teased back.

He gave a quick smirk but just a moment later, a fleet of chocobos came racing by on the track below them. The sudden, unexpected jolt down the race track sent Cloud stumbling in surprise, losing his footing as his boot slipped off the wall and over the side. He gave a yelp of shock.

Before he could fall anywhere, Aerith reached out for his holster, pulling him to her and securing her arms around his waist.

It all happened so quickly. He'd been captured in her embrace and his cheeks flushed when he realized it was the closest they had been all night. It was worth almost falling over the wall to end up like this, he thought.

"Thought you didn't need saving," Aerith looked up at him and their eyes met instantly.

He couldn't take his eyes off her and gulped, nervous at their closeness. "Guess I was wrong."

Her hold on his waist tightened, "Never a dull moment with _you_ , either, huh?"

Cloud let out a single laugh, recalling back to the day they first met and he'd saved her. He raised an eyebrow at her, "That a compliment?"

"Not really," she quickly replied, imitating Cloud's stoic, broody voice as best as possible. She let go of his waist and moved to sit.

He knew it wouldn't be worth it for him to try and imitate her bright cheerfulness. He rolled his eyes, "Thanks anyway...princess."

"Get your butt over here, so you can stop making fun of me," she said playfully and patted the spot of brick next to her.

Cloud let out another silent laugh and moved to sit in the space next to her. "Sorry, just had to."

"Hah hah hah," she forced a fake, sarcastic laugh and smiled.

The two stayed like that for a short moment, both of their legs dangling over the side of the wall swaying with the wind. From where they sat, they could make out the desert just beyond the Gold Saucer's boundaries. Even farther beyond, the ocean at the far end of the continent could barely be spotted, fading off into the distant night sky. The two sat closely, Cloud's leg brushing up against the fabric of Aerith's dress.

Another fleet of chocobos came racing by a minute later, as a distant announcement signaled that it was the final lap of the last race of the night. Cloud smirked, knowing that Cid and Barret were probably cursing up a storm, while sitting at the edge of their seat in regards to the outcome of the race. The chocobos darted down the small strip of track that Cloud and Aerith could see beneath their dangling feet.

"Wow, look at 'em go," Aerith remarked, looking from a particularly spiky, yellow chocobo to Cloud's head then back to the chocobo again.

Cloud turned to her, an eyebrow raised.

Again, Aerith looked at the chocobo and then back at Cloud, with an amused smile.

"What?" Cloud asked directly.

"Nothing," she innocently defended.

"No, what? You got something to say," he teased.

"Not all all."

"Say it."

"I don't know what you mean." She feigned ignorance.

"You know," he retorted.

"I just see a resemblance," Aerith admitted with a small laugh. "You...the chocobo...both cute." 

Cloud rolled his eyes and sighed, "I figured."

She smiled bigger, "What? You got a cute, little chocobo head. I like it."

"Glad you do." He hesitated for a moment, letting a small breath of air escape him before he continued. "You know, when I was growing up in Nibelheim, I had a really...hard time making friends back then. I guess some things don't change."

Aerith's smile slightly fell then as she listened to him speak. She shuffled a tad closer to him and urged him to continue.

"I was never really welcomed in Nibelheim, even though I lived there for a while. The kids in town didn't want me around." Cloud closed his eyes, almost in pain as he'd remembered his past. "They just thought I was some weird kid. Hm, maybe I was."

She frowned then and looked hurt for him and the pain he must have felt for not fitting in.

"They made fun of me and gave me the nickname Chocobo-head. Stupid stuff like that, but it made me feel really bad as a kid." He scoffed, "So stupid."

"Cloud...I'm...I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to make fun of you with that chocobo stuff," Aerith bit her lip. She felt disappointed with herself now. She would never want to make him feel hurt about something she did. "I just thought you looked cute like a chocobo."

Cloud nodded and understood, but he remained quiet.

"Ugh, stupid me. I shouldn't have said anything," said Aerith.

"No Aerith, it's okay," he reassured. "I know you didn't mean it like those...dumb kids did back then."

She placed her hand on top of his and inched closer to him, "I'm still sorry, though. About...all those kids making you feel bad."

"Thank you," he returned a small smile to her. "It sucked. Feeling like an outcast in your own home. Not being welcomed or...wanted. I don't know." He shook his head and his eyes fell, "My mom had a hard time with it, too. She never said much to me about it, but I could tell she was really hurt that I didn't fit in. She always...tried to take care of me."

Aerith knew all too well what he had felt. She wasn't going to stop him from opening up and unraveling layers of his life that he had tried to tuck away. She wanted to hear every word he was willing to share.

He continued, "Being the weird kid in town, I just wanted to prove to everyone that I could be...'someone'. I know I wasn't exactly the easiest kid to get along with, either," he smirked. "I hear I have a bit of an attitude."

"Hm, maybe just a bit," she smiled. "Still, it would be horrible to feel so...alone." Her eyes fell. "Every kid deserves to have friends."

"Not me."

"Cloud..." Aerith gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She'd wanted to say more, but she was also so taken by Cloud freely spilling so much of himself to her. "Your mom, you miss her a lot?"

"Of course. She'd always be there for me and make me feel better when I was down. My dad died before I was even born, so she took care of me all by herself. It must have been really difficult for her, too," he said, and Aerith noticed a sentimental expression on his face for the first time. He shook those thoughts from him and turned to her, "You must miss your mom, too, huh?"

"Both of them, mhm," Aerith nodded, "Elmyra and my birth mother, Ifalna. I think about them every day...everything they've given me and how they've protected me."

Cloud smiled when she sounded sentimental.

"I loved my mom so much. When we were living in the Shinra Building, she tried to teach me about the Cetra, about what we were and why they were keeping us there...but I was too young to really understand."

"What about your dad," Cloud asked, genuinely wondering.

She gave a small shrug in response and her voice felt considerably quieter then. "I don't know. My mom told me that he was killed when we tried to flee from our home. I was only just a baby. My mom and I were caught and...," her mouth shut and she frowned.

"Aerith..." Cloud whispered to her and turned his hand over to gently hold hers.

"I hated being in that building. I spent every day watching Shinra slowly kill my mom. They'd take her away and destroy her...," she stopped when she felt a twinge of pain in her chest. 

Cloud looked ashamed then, as if disappointed in himself that he brought this subject up. "I'm-I'm sorry, Aerith. I shouldn't have asked about it."

"No, don't apologize. You shared something with me when you didn't have to, I can do the same for you," she reassured with a small smile.

Cloud nodded, as if urging her to continue, but also to thank her for confiding in him.

"We have something in common, you know," Aerith gently traced her thumb over his hand.

"What's that," he asked.

"After escaping Shinra, I felt the same way you did...with not fitting in," she started. "Elmyra took me in when my mom died, but aside from her, I felt alone a lot. I tried to make friends, but..."

Cloud gently squeezed her hand when he sensed her pain.

"The kids in the slums thought I was strange. Like you, I was the 'weird' kid when I was young," she confessed. "It was because I'm a Cetra. I was different from everyone and none of the kids wanted me around."

"You?" That seemed unbelievable to him. How could anyone not want to be around her?

"Mhm," Aerith nodded, "I started to hide the truth that I was a Cetra, hoping to be 'normal'. I even tried doing it with you and the others," she admitted, guilt in her voice.

He frowned. He wasn't mad about it; he understood. Being a Cetra was something incredibly personal to Aerith, but it also brought her a lot of pain - it wasn't something she would tell anybody.

But Cloud didn't look at her as being different because she was a Cetra. She was certainly special for that reason, but for many more reasons, too, regardless of her ancestry.

"It's like I tried to erase it all away, but it didn't stop the voices I heard or the things I could sense. That's why it's difficult for me to talk to people about what I am - they don't always understand. They shut you out. Leave you behind."

"I'd..." he'd spoken before he meant to. Too late now, he thought. Cloud's eyes softened, "I'd never do that, Aerith."

She looked at him, hope filling her eyes. "I know, Cloud. That's why I can tell you about my past. I trust you."

He laced his fingers with hers. "Same here. Thank you."

"For what?" She asked innocently, "Trusting you?"

"Not just that. For telling me about your past when it's not easy for you," he clarified with a devoted gaze. "And for letting me to tell you about mine. I couldn't have done that if I didn't trust you, either."

"I know it's not easy for either one of us to talk about the past. It totally sucked," Aerith finished with a small laugh.

"It really did."

"But it makes me realize something," she started, brushing her bare shoulder up against him. "I can't help but think that...maybe our childhoods could have been everything we hoped for if we knew each other, you know? Maybe we wouldn't have felt so alone?"

Cloud nodded and smiled, "That's true. Now that you are here, I don't feel alone anymore. You make me feel..." He stopped himself as the words caught in his throat. Wanted. Loved. That's what he wanted to say.  
It's like everything he wanted as a kid, feeling wanted, being seen as someone special - she gave it to him. He didn't need SOLDIER. He didn't need some important title.

Much like Prince Alfred in that silly play, Aerith liked Cloud for what was in his heart.

"I'm sorry," he sincerely replied. "There's a lot I want to say, but I guess I never figured out how to yet."

Aerith gently placed her head to rest down on his shoulder and a small laugh came from her. He didn't need to say anything for her to understand. "You big softie. We have each other now and that's what matters."

He felt his heart leap then and he smiled bigger than he ever had in his life, though no one could see it. "And I'm keepin' it that way."

"Same here, bodyguard." She smiled against his shoulder, "Thanks for telling me a story, by the way."

"Hm?"

"Remember when we first left the church after we met? I told you to tell me a story and you ended up charging me for it." she reminded.

"Oh right, I remember." Cloud took his free hand and scratched the back of his head, "Looks like you got it for free. Sorry it could have been a better story..."

"You could have told me anything. I just like the sound of your voice," she confessed with a happy sigh.

He blushed and cleared his throat, an unexpected compliment from her. "And it wasn't necessarily free anyway. I am getting paid right now, after all."

"Right, the date," she gave a small laugh. Her eyebrow raised, "Does this payment suffice? I hear you demand a pricy salary."

"I do," Cloud smirked and squeezed her hand. "I don't know, though. I am having a good time, but..."

"But?"

"I think tonight only partially covers my payment," he concluded.

She let out another laugh, "Oh, is that so? Is that your way of asking for a second date?"

"No, not a second one." He shrugged and concluded, " _Many_ of them."

Her mouth closed after she already had had a rebuttal to what she prepared herself to be a sarcastic response from him. Instead, she couldn't help but smile and nestled her head back against his shoulder. 

She whispered against him, "I can agree to those terms. Deal."

"Guess I'll keep this bodyguard gig then. It pays well," he finished with a smile.

A pleasant, dreamy sigh escaped past her lips as she settled into rest into his shoulder further, which Cloud didn't mind one bit. Slowly, the blonde began to rest his head on top of hers, his chin resting against her soft brunette bangs. He could smell the fresh flowers that laced through her hair and felt her gentleness with each breath she took.

He knew then what he'd already known. He had fallen for her - hard - even when she warned him not to. How could he not? She could catch him from falling off a wall, but not for falling for her.

He just hoped and prayed she'd fallen right alongside him.

They both closed their eyes and stayed like that for a long while as the late evening passed on, enjoying the comfort and peace they found in one another. They wouldn't have traded that moment for anything and would cherish it for as long as it would last.

Cloud opened his eyes when he first heard a gentle squeak and churning noise from behind him. He rose his head and turned around to see the floating gondola gracefully gliding along its' railway through the sky.

"Hey, look at that," Cloud nodded up.

"Hm?" Aerith took longer than she wanted to respond. She was in another world, far too comfortable to move from resting on Cloud just yet. When she had finally turned to look back, her eyes grew wide and lit up. "Wow."

"The gondola," pointed Cloud.

"It's working again," Aerith chimed in. "Last time we were here, it was closed when it broke down, remember?"

He nodded and turned back to her, "Looks like they got it workin' again."

"Wanna see if we can take a ride?" Aerith suggested with a hopeful smile, "This place will probably be closing any minute. Sounds like the perfect way to cap off a great date, right?"

Cloud moved himself back off the wall and stepped down, offering his hand to Aerith to help the flower girl. "Let's mosey on over there while there's still time."

"Let's." She took his hand and held her dress as she stepped down.

The couple hastily let the breezeway and made their way back towards the main plaza. This time, there was no hesitation when Cloud went to hold Aerith's hand, but his stomach still filled with fluttering butterflies. The Gold Saucer was nearly empty now, a huge contrast from the bustling crowd that was packed in the central hub earlier in the evening when they first arrived. It must have been considerably late now.

Still, neither wanted this night to end.

When they arrived at the gondola station, they approached the gondola operator and their faces fell.

"Sorry, lovebirds, but we're closed," the male employee said, just as he was roping off the gondola docked at the station. "Just sent the last gondola out of here a minute ago."

"What?" Cloud demanded, his eyebrows furrowing in anger. "What time did you close?"

"A minute ago," the employee shrugged. "Sorry, guys."

"Damn it," Aerith mumbled.

Cloud gritted his teeth in anger and let out an exasperated sigh. This wasn't how the date was supposed to go. This was supposed to be the perfect end to their date, just like Aerith suggested. But to have that ending taken from them? Cloud scoffed, much louder than he intended.

"Whoa, buddy. Simmer down," the operator called out. "I'm just doing my job, alright?"

"Hey, Cloud. Come on," Aerith gently eased him down. "It's okay. We'll come back another time. It's fine."

Cloud's anger dissipated and he was left looking let down. He turned to her, thinking that their night was now soiled with an unexpected end. At least the gondola would have given them a few more minutes with each other.

Reluctantly, he made his way for the exit. "Okay. Let's get going, Aerith. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, that's what the next date is for..." her voice began to trail off. "Come on. Let's get back."

The operator frowned, watching the two begin to leave. He sighed and shook his head.

"Yeah..." Cloud muttered, a frown staying painted on his face. "Next time, I guess."

"Wait!"

Cloud and Aerith turned back to the platform. Their faces turned surprised when they saw the operator unhook the rope from the gondola vehicle and gestured them to get inside.

"Really?" Aerith's eyes lit with excitement and appreciation. "You're letting us on?"

"Heh, sure," the operator said, stepping back behind their control panel. "You two starred in the play tonight, right?"

"We did," Cloud's eyes narrowed.

"Right, so I suppose I could offer one last ride to our special 'lucky couple'." The operator gave them a smile and gestured for them to enter. "Go on. Knock yourselves out."

"Thank you so much!" Aerith clasped her hands together, appreciatively, and moved to enter the gondola.

Before Cloud stepped forward, he turned back to the operator, a perplexed expression painted on his face. "You're really doing us a favor because we took part in some silly play?"

"Nah, but looking at you two, it just don't feel right to send you off. Take the ride," The operator smirked, "Just make it count."

Cloud's face turned to the gondola, a look of realization on his face and he blushed. ' _Make it count_ ', he told himself.

"Cloud, come on!" Aerith called out to him in a sing-song tone.

"Well, don't just stand there, man," the operator hurriedly gestured him to step in.

Cloud turned to him and nodded, "Thanks." The employee smiled and bowed his head.

Filled with the excitement, nerves and adrenaline that rushed through him with what he wanted to tell her, Cloud took a deep breath, turned around and stepped into the gondola.

Aerith looked to him and tilted her head, "Ready, bodyguard?"

"Ready," he gave her a warm smile and took the seat across from her.

There was a short moment where their eyes caught one another's from across the cabin and their hearts skipped a beat. Their faces flustered when they saw the look of devotion and desire in each other's eyes, neither being able to turn away for even just a moment.

The cart rumbled for a moment, before it gracefully began to ascend upward, away from the station and along the railway into the sky.

The perfect end to the perfect date was going to happen, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How could a date at the Gold Saucer happen without a ride on the gondola? What will happen when Cloud voices his worries, his feelings and the future with Aerith? Does he get a say in all of it?
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Interrupted By Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took a little longer! Was doing a lot of traveling the past few days, but hopefully you'll enjoy! Cloud and Aerith's date continues in the gondola and some sparks definitely fly. I think it's getting warm in here. Please enjoy!

The gondola steadily traveled along the rail, making its' way up through the peaceful night sky as Cloud and Aerith enjoyed the passing view.

From the square window of the floating cabin, Cloud and Aerith could make out the Gold Saucer shrinking with the rest of the world below. They got a better view of the complex's different saucer 'zones', making out the chocobo racetrack below, the battle arena and the rollercoasters and other rides in the Attractions zone. While floating up high, they could see the night sky was dotted with thousands of stars, shining brighter than they ever could have been seen from far below. 

"Wow," Aerith said mesmerized, her eyes glistening at the sight. It was like seeing the world in a completely different way from the gondola window, one she'd never expected to see when she lived in Midgar. "This is amazing."

Cloud's gaze shifted from the window and softened when they fell on her, seeing her awash in the glow and excitement of seeing the beautiful sights before her. His heart filled when he saw how happy she looked - he'd make it his life's mission to make her that happy every day.

"Look, Cloud," she pointed down below.

A moment later, bright fireworks took off through the air and burst into colorful patterns and sparks high above the gondola. The beautiful display was the final show of the evening, ending the night with a magical display that echoed above the complex and across the desert. The fireworks shimmered and sparkled through the night sky, painting a dazzling ray of color that cascaded down around the gondola, making Cloud and Aerith feel as though they were caught in the middle of it all.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it," Aerith whispered, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Yeah." ' _You are_ ,' he thought to himself, staring at her from across the cart, longing in his eyes.

The way she looked in her dress with the glow from the fireworks around her, it took his breath away and made his heart pound harder in his chest. His stare moved across her and focused on her eyes before falling to her soft lips, which began to set a distant fire in his blood.

Aerith felt his eyes linger on her and turned to face him, her eyebrow raised. "You okay?"

"Mhm," he gave a soft smile and shifted his gaze to the side, realizing he'd been caught staring more than once that night. "Just...cherishing the moment, like you said."

Aerith leaned forward and reached for his hand, which he instantly gave her. "Every minute, every moment matters...right?"

"I remember," Cloud said, recalling the words she spoke to him in a dream once and now he'd realized, she remembered, too. 

Ever since that night, he'd felt his feelings grow and burn inside him until they were about ready to burst. The words she had told him that night had been replaying in his mind ever since and, with the strange visions he had been seeing ever since he met her, he had started to piece it all together and see the bigger picture.

He hadn't thought it through yet and didn't know what her words and these visions meant, but now he knew - and he didn't want to waste another moment without telling her.

He took a deep breath and felt his words catch in his throat, "Aerith, there's...there's something I need to talk about."

She looked at him closer and he seemed concerned, as if deep in thought. She reassured him and gently traced her thumb along his hand, urging him to continue.

"Ever since Midgar, I've been getting these visions - they come in a flash and then they're gone," said Cloud. "Since I met you, I've been seeing these images of...the future...or is it another life? I don't know."

Aerith's eyes shifted, before looking into his again, deeper than before now. She'd been waiting for this, searching for him to find the truth about their past and what she sensed was to happen again. Like Cloud, she couldn't see how all the visions fit together, either. The future was a blank slate, after all, with endless possibilities...but she sensed as though her time would be short, cut far too soon. She couldn't tell, but she sensed that she'd met her fate once before already, in a different world - a different life.

"It feels so real. It's like, everything I see in these visions, I feel like they've happened all before. Or that they will happen again, rather," he said, trying to piece it together himself as he spoke. His eyes focused on her, "I know you sense something, too, Aerith."

She nodded, "I do. I can see...bits and pieces of the past or the future...I don't know, but I can't see how they all fit together. These images feel like...another life."

"Yeah," he thought out loud. "But I think I'm beginning to understand what it all means..."

"What's that", she asked.

"It feels like I've traveled through many lives, many worlds, trying to...find you," confessed Cloud. "What I see feels like a completely different life, but a life that happened that I can't remember. But when I try to think through all these lives I feel like I lived, I realize something...the reason why I was searching for you in the first place..."

Aerith;s eyes directly met his then and her heart fell when she saw tears unexpectedly welling up in them. Her breath caught in her throat.

"I lost you. You were taken from me," he gritted through his teeth and shook his head, as if somehow saying those words made it real. There was nowhere for him to hide the tear that fell down his face now. "I've lost you in another life. The pain I've felt from these visions is too real for it not to be true."

He felt hollow without her. The thought of losing her again was too much to bear...

"I was searching for you, waiting for you to find the truth..."Aerith leaned forward, gently placing a hand on his face, causing him to suck in a sharp breath and get lost in her eyes. She delicately ran her thumb across his cheek, wiping away the tear that had fallen. "Don't you see, Cloud? I sensed what might happen to me long ago and I wanted you to avoid this pain since the beginning."

Cloud shook his head and turned to look toward the window.

"This is why I told you...that you can't fall in love with me."

"It's too late for that. I already am," He turned back to her, unbreakable devotion in his eyes, as if he'd just revealed his soul for her to see, giving her the ability to unravel all the mysteries within.  
Aerith smiled at Cloud's admittance and felt tears roll over her cheeks.

He leaned in closer to her, seeing the true happiness in her tears. "How could I not fall for you? I'm not going to let you stop me, even if you try to. It's too late for that, but it's not too late to change our future - now that we know what could happen."

Aerith was at a loss for words. His sincerity and love for her left her speechless. "Cloud..."

"I know what I feel, Aerith. Don't tell me it isn't real. Regardless of how much time we'd have together, I chose to fall in love with you, even if you don't want me to be."

Aerith let out a small laugh, resting her forehead up against him. "Do I get a say in all this?"

Cloud remained silent, but felt his lips twitch upwards. 

"I have no reason to stop you. It's too late for me, too," she explained. Her other hand rose to his face and she felt his hands fall to her waist, holding her tightly. "I'm already in love with you, Cloud."

Cloud smiled and let out an exhale, feeling as though he'd held his breath since the moment they entered the gondola. That was music to his ears and he felt his heart soar higher than any gondola could take it.

His grip on her waist tightened and he had the desire to show her just how much love she filled his heart with.

"Cloud," Aerith whispered, her hands falling to the collar of his shirt, holding it tightly.

He lifted her face with his finger, getting lost in her emerald eyes for just a moment before he focused on her soft, inviting lips, "Let's cherish this moment."

"Every moment," she finished.

Their lips finally met in a sweet, gentle kiss that seemed to last forever as the world stopped around them. She gently moved her soft lips against his, as Cloud tasted her. She could tell his own lips were hesitant with how to move and what to do, allowing her to take the lead as his lips learned to respond against hers. She gripped his collar tighter and pulled him into her, a burning series of kisses on their lips, before they finally broke apart, their breath heavy and a smile painted on both their lips.

Her hands moved from his collar and went to his shoulders, resting her head against his, "You have no idea how long I've waited for that." A happy sigh came from her and she peppered his cheek with light kisses.

"Too long," Cloud said with a single laugh. His hands caressed down her sides, his fingers running along the fabric of her dress and stopped to hold her waist. "The future isn't set in stone, Aerith. I don't care what I have to do, I'm not going to lose you again."

He didn't care if he'd have to fight fate, change destiny and save the world to make it happen.

" _This time, I won't let you go_ ," he whispered.

"Cloud..." She spent too long being afraid of being left behind, but when Aerith understood that this man before her would journey to hell and back, to any world, to an universe to ensure that she would remain by his side to love her unconditionally and eternally, she pressed her lips against his again and again and then again, tasting him with the burning desire that filled her and begged him for more - she needed more. 

His lips moved with more certainty now, pressing against hers with a desire and hunger that turned his blood red hot. Each small noise of pleasure that escaped between her lips added to Cloud's growing confidence and he kissed deeper, longer, hotter. While not experienced with kissing in the slightest, Aerith's guidance and his desire to please her, to hear her moan for him, made Cloud a fast learner.

Her hands traveled to his neck and her fingers laced through and played with the back of his hair, eliciting a husky, deep moan from him. She silenced him when her tongue dipped into his mouth and slid across his lips. His tongue went to meet hers, delicately caressing it as he devoured her, lost in her sweet taste. He needed more. He needed her and longed to taste all of her. 

His hands gripped her small waist tighter, feeling fire under his fingertips as he pulled her to him, needing her to be closer - to feel her against him, to relieve some of that burning fire that was setting his blood ablaze with desire.

She stood up from her seat, his hands gently guiding her to him. She never broke their kiss once, as her lips pressed harder against his and dared him to taste her deeper. His tongue flicked across her soft lips, a hot moan escaping from within, before it dove into explore her mouth with ravenous hunger. She sensually sucked on his tongue, savoring his taste and needing more, needing all of him - feeling that deep burning desire in her core that begged him to fill her.

Cloud pulled on her waist and she went to straddle him. Her body pressed against his and her long brown hair spilled down around them, a few red flower petals falling from within and floating through the air around them. With his hands on her hips, he pressed her closer to him and he seized her lips once again.

Aerith moaned against his lips when she felt her thigh brush against the hardness in his pants.

He let out a throaty groan and broke the kiss, looking up at her almost apologetically. "S-sorry, I'm-"

She silenced him and recaptured his lips and began to grind herself against his erection in dangerously slow and seductive movements, sparking a fire within her. A hot groan escaped past his lips when he felt himself struggle and threatened to buck his hips against her, to relieve some of that building tension within his tightening pants.

She let out a small chuckle at his waning self-control, placing a series of light kisses across his cheek, across his neck and to his ear, where she nibbled on his earlobe, causing another moan to escape him.  
He couldn't help but press himself harder against her core, a bit hesitant in his movements. "Is...is this okay for you?"

She smiled at him, as she thought of how he wanted to make sure she was comfortable. He was always so careful and protective with her, especially now. She moaned a sound of approval into his ear. "I want to feel you..."

Cloud's hands held her hips more firmly, before trailing a series of kisses up her chest, to her neck and finally capturing her soft lips yet again, lost in the floral scent that came from her. His eyes fluttered shut when she resumed teasing the building friction in his pants. This time, he couldn't resist grinding his hardness against the juncture between her thighs.

"I want you to touch me," she whispered after breaking away for a moment before crashing her lips into his again.

He groaned into her lips and his strong hands left her waist to travel under her red dress to caress her smooth butt. She gave an erotic moan and tossed her head back, Cloud groaning in desire at her lustrous display, feeling as his pants grow painfully tighter still. His fingertips found her panties and he delicately traced the trimmed lace that curved around her round butt.

Aerith broke apart the kiss, flustered and as red as her dress. "I need you."

"Aerith," Cloud smiled up at her, blushing. His heart pounded with excitement, nerves and pleasure all at once. It was overwhelming. "I've never done this with anyone bef-"

"Shhh," she silenced him with a sweet, gentle kiss, one that felt different and reassuring, but still just as wonderful as their previous ones. "I haven't either, Cloud, but I want this with you."

Cloud groaned at the thought of their love-making. The two of them caught deep in the throes of passion as they continued making love into the early morning.

" _I want to meet you_." 

"I'm right here," he said back, with a handsome smirk.

She gave him a slow, long kiss, her lips gently playing with his as they sucked on his lower lip. Cloud inwardly cursed at the pleasurable feeling overtaking him and wished the ride would just come to an end.

She broke from the kiss then. "We could stop right here if you like? It'd be so hard to leave you like this, though," she teased, pressing harder against his hardness.

"No, I want you!" Cloud exclaimed, a bit more excited than he intended, sounding like he was begging her. He fixed himself and now his voice was a whisper, "I want this with you." 

Aerith leaned down and placed another gentle kiss on his lips, which he immediately returned. "I hope this damn ride ends soon then. You're wearing far too much, you know."

The blonde let out a groan, which was quickly overtaken by a small laugh as he blushed.

Within a moment, the gondola had begun to descend down and the two could start to make out the station a small distance below. Aerith quickly rose from Cloud's lap, flattened her dress down and went to carefully resume her spot on the opposite seat, as the cart slowly swayed back and forth. Cloud watched in quiet amusement as Aerith pushed back her hair and fixed herself, as if she wasn't just straddling him during a series of passionate kisses a moment earlier.

It wasn't long before the cart glided back into the station and stopped to unload them. The gondola operator returned and opened the door for them, as the couple moved to exit the vehicle.

"Welcome back, kiddos," the employee said to them as he helped them out.

Cloud took Aerith's hand and gave a quick nod to the employee. "Thanks again for letting us on."

The employee waved them off, "Don't mention it, as long as you guys had a good ride."

Aerith turned back and waved, "It was the best ride ever. You have no idea."

Cloud turned too many shades of red, as he squeezed her hand tighter and walked faster away. "You're killing me here, you know that?"

"I know," she teased him and brushed her hand down his arm. She leaned in and whispered to him, sensual sweetness rolling off her tongue, "So, let's get back to our rooms and continue where we left of shall we?"

His red cheeks blushed fiercely and his heart pounded in his chest. "Let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this next chapter! Thanks to all who read, commented and gave kudos! Next chapter will be the final chapter of the fic and it is...how should I say it? It's porn. It's hard explicit smut. It's well-deserved, gratuitous, wonderful, hot smut. I thought, oh, maybe I should reel it in and go vanilla with it, no, it's hot and heavy, goodnight.


	5. I'm Coming For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at the chapter title* Um, yeah, I'm completely aware of what I did. This chapter is the final chapter of the story and is completely gratuitous, passionate, well-deserved 10/10 love-making. Enjoy the smut.

With his hand leading hers, Cloud and Aerith quickly walked back through the plaza, where not another person was in sight now that the Gold Saucer had closed an hour earlier. 

Cloud had to get back to the hotel as fast as he could. He hungered for his lips to be devouring hers again, to feel her body pressed up against his, to experience that overwhelming feeling of love and desire once again. With how Aerith remained in step with him along the way, she seemed just as determined to get back to one of their rooms as fast as possible.

They arrived at the hotel and hastily made their way up the steps. She placed tender kisses along his neck which was met with a low moan. She teased, "I don't think I've ever seen you in such a hurry."

"You're not making it any easier when you're doing that," he said through his teeth, as a kiss on a particular sensitive spot on his neck caused him to shudder with pleasure. "Can you blame me?"

"Blame you? I already have my room key out to speed things up and get my hands on you faster," she flashed him the key as proof, before returning her mouth to his neck as they ascended the hotel stairs.

" _Thank god_ ," he groaned.

They made it back to one of the hallways of rooms and Aerith quickly led Cloud to hers. She quickly opened the door to the room and took him in, as Cloud quietly shut the door behind them.

Aerith turned towards him and took hold of his hands, bringing him further into the room towards the bed. They could feel both of their hearts racing now and their cheeks turned a fiery red. "Well, here we are, bodygua-"

Cloud brought his lips back down to claim hers in a hungry kiss that he'd spent far too many minutes waiting for. 

Caught by surprise, Aerith's eyes slightly widened, before blissfully fluttering closed, Cloud's lips gently playing against her own. His hands went to her slender waist and pulled her body flush up against his and her breasts pressed into his chest. She moaned into the kiss, as her hands fell to his waist, working quickly at unfastening his holster and letting the item fall to the floor.

Aerith brought her lips to his neck and placed loving kisses across his skin. She smile against his skin when she gave him a playful nip, soothing the reddened mark with her tongue, eliciting a low moan of pleasure from him. 

His hands went up through her hair and his fingers played through her cascading, brown tresses. "Aerith," he moaned as he recaptured her lips and slipped his tongue into her mouth. His tongue swirled around hers and he growled against her mouth. He explored her mouth in earnest, fire burning within him once again when he fell allured by her sweet, intoxicating taste.

She quickly moved her hands to the rim of his shirt, pulling the fabric up over his head and discarding it to the side. Instantly, her hands went to caress the enticing shadows of his abs and her head bent down to his smooth chest, placing sweet, soft kisses along the well-defined muscles. Her hands momentarily traced along the scar on his chest and she bent down her face to place a warm kiss against the hidden mark.

The tantalizing feeling of her soft lips on his chest and the way her gentle fingertips delicately traced along the lines of his hard stomach caused him to toss his head back, needing the throbbing friction in his pants to be relieved now.

Her hot kisses trailed up from his chest, to his neck and stopped at his lips where her tongue slipped into his mouth, allowing him to hungrily suck on it. He shuddered against her tongue when her fingers playfully caressed his chest in soft swirling motions. He didn't know how much more teasing he could stand.

His lips left hers abruptly and he whispered into her cheek, "I need you...Aerith. Please."

Those words caused a bright blush to appear on Aerith's face and her mouth fell open. She gave him another quick kiss and turned around, holding her long hair over her shoulder. She pointed at the zipper at the back of her dress, "I need some help here, though."

Help undress her? Cloud blinked a few times as the alarms went off in his head.

"Of-of course!" He once again sounded more excited and he inwardly cringed when he heard his voice raise an octave. He tried to steady his shaking hands and took hold of the hidden zipper at the back of the dress he loved on her.

"You know, I wore this dress just for you," Aerith whispered over her shoulder. "I really love the look on your face when you see me."

Cloud blushed and stammered, "I-I'm sure you do."

"I think I'll love the look on your face when you see me out of it even more," she smirked.

He gave a deep, nervous exhale that tickled the back of her neck and he tried to keep his composure and steady his hands.

"You're always so good with your hands." She smiled to herself and held her hair, feeling the shake of his hands on her back. She could sense his nerves, it was his first time doing this, after all, but she reassured him at every step. "You're doing fine, Cloud. Just get me out of this and touch me."

Cloud felt his skin flush and he gulped, feeling his pants tighten more at the thought of Aerith wanting him to strip her out of that dress. He slowly pulled the zipper down, watching as more and more of her soft skin revealed itself to him. When the zipper had reached its' end, his breath hitched as he helped pull the dress down her form.

His eyes widened and he heard himself gasp when the dress fell to her ankles, revealing her lace black panties that perfectly framed her feminine curves and showed off the smooth skin of her butt. Aerith bit her lip to hide the noise of arousal that came from her. 

No man had ever seen her like this, but there was something incredibly arousing to her about wearing nothing but a necklace and her panties in front of him.

Cloud thought the exact same thing and he groaned, his skin burning as he looked at her perfect figure.

"Touch me, Cloud," she tossed a seductive stare back at him. " _Please_."

He tried to calm himself and reached out to hold her round butt firmly, watching as she stepped out of the red dress crumpled at her feet. He groaned at the feel of her and delicately caressed her ass with his hands, causing her to echo a wanton moan up to the ceiling as her hair fell behind her, sending another flurry of flower petals towards him. 

He pulled her to him, but it was her that erupted the flames in his blood when she pushed her ass up against the hard bulge in his pants.

"Fuck," Cloud gritted through his teeth at the agonizing friction. 

It was already difficult enough to keep his self-control maintained, but with the way her body was pressed against his - it was dangerously erotic, sensual and caused him to let out an animalistic growl.

Aerith pressed her naked back against his strong chest and rested her head on his shoulder with a smile. She reached down for his strong hands, took them and slowly moved them to her hips, up her slender stomach until she felt him cup her breasts firmly.

A lustful moan escaped from her as she arched into his sensual touch and he let out a low groan at her body's response. His hands gently squeezed and fondled the supple curves of her breasts and a hot groan of desire escaped from him and tickled her ear. 

Cloud watched over her shoulder as he lovingly massaged her breasts. She felt incredible - perfectly round and firm and supple.

" _Ngh_ , Cloud. M-more, please," Aerith moaned breathlessly into his neck, feeling the burning fire within her set an inferno in her core. "I love this- _mmm_."

"I love this just as much," he smirked.

He closely listened to her sounds of pleasure that came from her delicate lips, using them to help him better understand her body and how she liked being touched. He was so gentle, almost careful with her. He treated her delicately as if she were fragile, which Aerith took note of.

With his hands on her breasts, he smirked and went to tease her nipples between his fingers, rubbing the rosy, pink nubs as they hardened the more he played with her. Aerith tossed her head back in delight and Cloud seized that opportunity, placing loving kisses along her neck, overwhelmed with her sweet scent.

"Cloud, that's so good," she whispered out to him. The way he teased and caressed her nipples with his strong hands and fingers became almost too much to bear and she already knew how wet her panties had become from him.

He released her then, taking hold of her waist to turn her to face him. He grinned at the flushed look on her face and placed a loving kiss on her lips. She moaned when she felt his warm lips travel down to her neck and then her chest, before he took one of her nipples into his hot mouth and sucked gently.

" _Ahh_ -" She tossed her head back with a sensual groan and her hands went to clutch his hair, her fingers lacing through his spikes. "Cloud, yes."

He smiled into her breast, his tongue flicking and swirling around the pink nub. While his mouth stayed on one of her breasts, his hand rose to caress and squeeze the other and she bit her lip, keeping the gasps and moans of pleasure from filling the room.

He alternated between her breasts, sucking each of her nipples and massaging her, showing each of her breasts the attention they deserved. He became incredibly aroused as she melted her body into his mouth and his touch, pressing her into him further.

"You're perfect," he groaned his pleasure into her breasts and placed a kiss between them. He gave a long, warm suck on each of her nipples as they came from his mouth with a small 'pop', before she reached down to capture his mouth with her own.

As they kissed, Cloud moved them towards the bed and he sat. He broke the kiss and used his hands to turn her around, his mouth falling open at the sight of her butt again. He pulled her onto him and sat her on his lap between his legs, feeling his throbbing erection against her ass.

Cloud groaned at the sensation and reached for her breasts again, placing a loving kiss on the back of her neck. She gasped when she felt his hand leave one of her breasts and travel across her slim stomach, before it reached to rub her folds through her panties.

" _Ohh_! Cloud, that's-" a cry of pleasure escaped her and her skin became became flushed, his fingers encircling just a bit faster now. " _Mmm_ , that's so- _ohh_!"

There was a sense of victory that washed over him when he felt how thoroughly soaked her panties had already become from just him teasing her breasts. "You're so wet already."

" _Mm_ , see what you do to me?" She leaned back to place a quick kiss against his jaw. She moaned into the kiss when he found a particular sensitive spot of arousal that flooded her with building heat and desire. She spread her legs wider for him.

"You like that?" Cloud asked her and smiled when she moaned louder in approval. Filled with the hunger to plunge himself inside her and the desire to please her, he reached down and hungrily tugged her panties to the side, an aroused groan leaving her lips as all of her was exposed to him.

"I want to please you, Aerith," he whispered against her neck, as if asking for permission.

"Do it now." She commanded with a groan, resting her head back in the nape of his neck, "I can't wait anymore, Cloud."

He smiled down at her and placed a kiss against her ear. He quickly ran his fingers over his tongue before they traveled over her slim stomach and reached past her bare, smooth mound to stroke her wet pussy.

" _Ahh-mnph_ , Cloud..." Her mouth fell open as he touched her so intimately. "You can do whatever you want, just make me-ahh!" She gasped in surprise, feeling him dip his finger right inside her tight slit. Words blanked out of her mind by her bodyguard's ministrations.

He groaned, basking in how amazing she felt, "So hot."

She was incredibly tight, but so deliciously hot and wet. It drove him crazy and filled him with the desire to fill her so completely. He once again learned from her moans, discovering how to touch her as he felt her velvety walls clamp down around his finger every time it entered and searched for that spot that sent her towards the edge.

His insatiable hunger for her lit his blood on fire, though he still treated her body so gently and carefully. "Is that good? I'm not being too hard, am I?"

 _So gentle and caring_ , she thought.

"It's real good, but Cloud...," she started and ran her hands down his muscular arms and gave them a playful squeeze. "Don't treat me like I'm so fragile. I'm not a flower, you know," she teased and looked back at him, her eyes darkened with lust. "Touch me how you want to. I'll let you know what makes me feel good."

Cloud quietly nodded and placed a chaste kiss along her shoulder. He removed his finger from her and brought both hands to her creamy thighs, spreading them apart wider to give him more access. "Keep yourself just like that for me, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Aerith stifled a laugh and gave him a salute.

He tenderly brought his hands back down to rub her entrance once more, before his fingers delicately spread her pussy to find her clit, encircling the hard nub.

She tossed her head back and her eyes closed shut from the immediate pleasure, "Cloud, _ahh-ngh_!" He rubbed her faster, loving the way she moaned his name. He collected her juices on his fingers and inserted two of them into her, starting to pump them in and out, slow and deep at first before moving to a pace faster and harder.

" _Ahh_ , Cloud! _Ngh-hah_ ," she moaned, feeling her core begin to become even wetter as it turned white hot. "Just like th- _ohh_ -just like that."

He gritted through his teeth and kept the steady pace of his fingers as they became slick and coated with her juices. He slowly inserted a third finger into her tight opening and gently curled them deep inside her, finding that spot within her that he'd been searching for.

" _Ugh, yes_! Right there! Do - _ahh_ \- that again," she begged him, feeling him press that sensitive spot in her very core that filled her with building heat. "Please, don't stop. _Ahh - please!_ "

He never had any intention of stopping; rather, he planned on showering her with pleasure before he was even tended to. He began thrusting his fingers harder into her, making sure to hit that sweet spot every time he dove in. Her growing moans of pleasure bolstered his confidence and he groaned out when he felt her walls clamp tighter around his fingers.

He gently placed a kiss to her cheek, watching as her mouth gaped open with a gasp when he placed his thumb on her clit and slowly curled a fourth finger deep into her tight pussy to join the rest. 

"Oh my g- _ahh...ohh_!" Aerith cried out, savoring that delicious burn as his fingers stretched her open for him and curled deep inside to push her over the edge. She felt so incredibly, wonderfully full from him.

His fingers instantly went to work as they dove into her hot, velvety passage. Aerith moaned and held onto his arms fpr balance. His free hand moved down to her thigh to keep them spread open for him.

"I want to make you come," Cloud whispered into her ear, plunging his fingers harder into her and his hand went to gently play with her breasts and nipples.

"Harder" She tossed her head back and instructed him, "Cloud, please! Harder! Make me come!"

He obeyed and thrust his slick fingers into her deep and hard now, feeling her walls squeeze around him as she moaned louder up to the ceiling. He smirked and gave her nipple a delicate squeeze and pressed his fingers up against that sweet spot, sending her tumbling over the edge.

"Cloud, _ahh!_ I'm-I'm- _ohhh_ ," she finished with a loud groan, as her entire body felt overcome with intense waves of fire. Her juices flooded from her and dripped down his hand as she orgasmed, her eyes half-lidded and her mouth slack from the overwhelming pleasure. Her legs shook uncontrollably as Cloud continued to tenderly rub her pussy to help her ride out her climax through its' end.

He smiled with victory, watching as she descended from that pleasurable high and rest her head back against his shoulder, flushed and out of breath. 

" _Nngh_ ," she gave a whimper when he removed his drenched fingers from her and she suddenly felt empty. She desired - needed - him to fill her again completely. 

The two remained like that for a moment as she recovered, small whimpers of pleasure escaping from her. She blushed fiercely when she saw how soaked she'd made the bed in the space between her legs.

Her cheeks flushed even darker when she saw Cloud raise his fingers to his lips and lick them clean of her juices. "Cloud... _mmm_."

He was intoxicated with her fresh taste and was hungry for more. When he'd cleared them of her slickness, his lips touched against her cheek, "You taste so sweet."

"Cloud...," she closed her eyes and rested back against his strong chest. 

"Was that good," he questioned, innocently. Perhaps what was more enjoyable than her orgasm was just how much enjoyment he found in making her feel overwhelmed with pleasure. 

"It was amazing," she turned her head and placed a kiss on his neck. "You're amazing. I told you that you were good with your hands."

He blushed furiously and averted his gaze with humbling charm. "Just wanted to please you."

"You succeeded," she rose off of his lap and took hold of his hand, " _but_..."

He raised an eyebrow at her as she pulled him to stand. He was concerned with his performance now. "B...but?"

She pushed him until his back was pressed against the door and she placed a soft kiss to his lips, "But now it's my turn to please you."

Cloud grinned, relieved that the stage play wasn't the only good performance he was putting on that night.

His mouth fell open with a moan when her lips traveled down his chest, leaving a warm trail of kisses along his stomach. He felt his hips twitch in surprise when her hands lowered to his belt and played with the buckle.

She went to her knees and placed a sweet kiss on his naval, distracting him long enough to undo his belt. She gently rolled her hand to fondle the hard bulge in his pants.

" _Mmnph_ -" He let out a deep groan of arousal, dying to finally be relieved of the agonizing friction as she worked to undo his pants.

"So hard already..."

Her eyes met his and smirked when he saw his face flushed and panting, looking as though his heart was pounding out of his chest. She hooked her fingers into his pants and underwear, pulling both garments down to let his hard cock spring free.

She looked up at him and bit her lip to try and keep herself from smiling too wide. He was exceptionally gifted - and she craved him to fill her completely.

"Wow. You're...beautiful. _All of you_ ," she marveled at him, smiling when he blushed and averted his gaze. "Is there anything about you that's not impressive?"

"Aerith..." A sharp breath came from him and his eyes widened when her hand rose to grasp the base of his erection, squeezing his hardness gently.

She smiled and then slowly started to stroke his length, feeling his cock become even harder. Cloud was spurred on to new heights as she stroked him and his hips thrust faster into her touch. Her free hand rose to his muscled thigh to steady him in place, before moving up to trace over his defined stomach, just as Cloud caught it to hold her dearly.

He squeezed her hand tightly, trying to keep himself from thrusting into her touch, but it was so tempting. His head hit back against the door when she stroked him faster and a throaty moan escaped him, "That's...that feels...so- _ahh!_ "

"Good," Aerith flashed her eyes up at him, seductive and lustful, before she moved her lips to the base of his cock and gave him a slow, hot lick up his long length.

"Aerith, that's- _mmm_ ," he groaned from her tongue and felt his hips involuntarily buck forward. Her hand wrapped firmly around his base and tickled over the light hair above his shaft, keeping him firmly in place.

"I want you to feel good, too," she whispered against his hardness, placing hot kisses and tantalizing, wet licks over every inch of his shaft in slow, sensual motions. She continued to stroke him slower and slower now, licking the head of his cock to tease him. "You work so hard as my bodyguard. I want to show you how much I appreciate it."

"I know you apprecia- _ahh!_ " He was caught off-guard as she took him into her hot mouth then, her tongue tracking along the veiny underside of his cock.

" _Mmm_ ," she moaned around him, sending vibrations of pleasure up through her body. She took his long length past her lips again and again, leaving him so slick and warm, trying to take more of him in, but stopped when he hit the back of her throat.

He gasped when she pulled him from her mouth and his skin met the cold air. He let out a growl of lust and his breath hot and heavy. He pouted and nearly whined, "Why'd you stop?"

"Because I love teasing you," she said with a laugh, enjoying the shudder of pleasure that came from him. "Can't help myself."

He rolled his eyes, "You're always teasing me." 

"But now is...a little different, is it not?"

He groaned when her other hand cupped him and he felt her smooth tongue flick the tip of his cock. "Still teasing."

"Oh? Would you like me to do something else for you instead?" She took his cock back into her wet, hot mouth, and moaned when she tasted the fresh spurts of his pre-cum that dripped from his arousal. She removed him from her mouth to his dismay, "I can stop if you want me to?"

" _No_!" He pleaded - the power this woman had over him. Cloud felt the urge to thrust deeper into her mouth, but kept his back pressed tightly to the door. "Don't...don't stop."

She placed a hot, open-mouthed kiss on the tip of his cock, sucking on it lovingly. The sight and feel of her soft lips taking in his long length nearly made Cloud's waning restraint shatter immediately. She pulled him from his mouth again when she felt him trying to restrain himself, "You have good self-control, Cloud."

"Losing it. _Quickly_ ," he clarified and groaned when she gave a warm lick at his base. " _Very quickly_."

"Good," she smiled up at him. "Tell me what I have to do to make you lose it completely."

"Nngh," his mouth gaped open as she brought her mouth down to him and made herself drool down on his cock, pooling and coating her warm wetness over him and making his whole length slick and wet with strokes from her hand. "Shit. That's- _ngh_...good."

"Come on, Cloud. Tell me," she enticed.

"M-more. Take me deeper," he growled out, but then his voice softened. "Please..."

Aerith smiled up at his flushed, shy face. _Always a gentleman, wasn't he_ , she thought to herself - even as he begged her to do the dirtiest things to him.

"Well, since you asked so nicely." She moved her mouth back to his hard cock and took him in deep, swallowing him.

"Fuck... _ahh_ ," Cloud growled out, desperately searching for something beneath his hands to hold onto when his entire length was enveloped in her hot mouth. His hand went to the back of her head and gently laced through her hair to hold her. "Aerith..."

Aerith kept him there for as long as she could, savoring the hungry, loud moans that came from him as she took him in. When she felt her throat spasm, she quickly pulled him from her mouth before she choked, flushed and breathless.

He growled when his cock was wetly released from her mouth. The edge had been taken off, but he wanted more. 

She smirked at him, loving the wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression on his face. "You good, bodyguard?"

He instantly went to cup her cheek and bent down to crush his lips against her's in a fiery kiss. His mouth slipped over her lips and he cleaned the strands of her saliva from them with his tongue. As their mouths moved over one another, they could taste one another as their tongues met.

Cloud pulled back from the kiss, ravenous hunger for her to resume apparent on his face. She smiled and took his cock in her hand, stroking his thick hardness. He let out a gratified, high-pitched groan when she took him deep in her hot mouth again and again.

He tightly held onto her hair, directing her movements as her lips slickly traveled across him as she sucked his cock. " _Mmm_ ," she moaned when she took him all in again and felt victorious when Cloud tossed his head back against the door.

He uncontrollably thrust himself into her mouth now as she took him in deep. 

With her mouth full of him, she moaned around him and dropped her fingers down to start rubbing her clit, working her way up to a second burning orgasm.

Cloud watched with lust-darkened eyes as she took his cock deep in her mouth and played with her pussy, as if captivated by the sight. "That's it," he lovingly stroked a hand through her hair, "Yea- _mmm_. You-you like that?"

" _Mmhmm_ ," she gave a low hum around his cock that traveled up through his body. 

The sight of her, that hot mouth doing the most sinful things to him, those damn wet sounds she made as she sucked him deep- it was nearly enough to send him shooting over the edge of pleasure. He thought of finishing himself off in her mouth just like this right then. 'Not yet', he reasoned to himself.

He quickly pulled himself from her mouth when he felt close to the edge, flushed and and panting.

She pulled back and tilted her head, "You okay?"

He immediately went to capture her lips and wrapped her in his arms to hold her body to his. At once, their tongues met in a wet, passionate dance as they moaned against each other's mouths.

"Why'd you stop me so soon," Aerith asked once they broke apart. She pouted, "I wanted to make you come for me."

"You will, but not yet," he placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Aerith gasped when his hands went for her hips and his fingers quickly hooked into her panties, pulling the garment down her creamy legs.

He stared at her fully naked body with admiration and his hands went to hold on to her slender waist. He pulled her up against him and placed tender kisses along her stomach and up her chest.

"Lose the pants," she pointed down to his ankles and gave him a seductive kiss. "Then meet me in bed."

"Can do," he smirked and went to work on untying his boots and kicking them off. He tried slipping out of his pants that were crumpled around his calves.

Aerith moved to the bed and kneeled down on the edge of the mattress. She slid down on her hands and knees and looked back at him over her shoulder, her hair spilling around her. "Come on, Cloud. Don't keep me waiting too long."

"Ah-," he groaned and watched her display herself for him, giving him that enticing view of her butt and her wet entrance. He quickly kicked off his pants immediately.

She moaned in desire when she saw him absent-mindedly start to stroke himself to the view he had of her and that aroused her further. He lustfully groaned and crouched down behind her.  
She groaned when she felt his hands on her ass, squeezing the smooth, round skin and pulling her to him. Her mouth fell open and she panted when she watched him examine her entrance and ass with a devilishly-handsome, lust-filled smirk.

Cloud licked his lips in anticipation. "You're so beautiful," he whispered close to her. 

" _Cloud..._ ," she whimpered, letting out a low groan when she felt his hot breath tickle her folds.

He leaned in and trailed his tongue up her slit in a hot, wet, burningly slow lick. A moan escaped him when her body reacted and she arched her back, pushing her core against his mouth in wanton desire. 

"Clou- _ahh_ ," Aerith groaned and her eyes shut in bliss. Another hot lick, as his slick tongue traveled over her slit and further above, to tease her in strong, wet strokes. "Don't...don't stop tha _-ohh_."

Cloud quietly laughed against her and his hands firmly squeezed her ass, just as he slowly trailed his hot tongue up against her slit and butt again.

"You bad boy," she teased him from over her shoulder, but groaned when he placed a hot kiss against her.

He went back to the slow, strong strokes against her, basking in how deliciously wet and wonderful she tasted.

She moved her butt back to further push her core against his mouth and she reached back to grip a hand to his spiky locks, pulling him deeper into her, "Cloud! _Mmm_ \- yes."

He gave her a smile at her breathless moans and placed a quick kiss on her pussy. His tongue gently licked across her folds, before sinking into her and swirling around inside.

" _Ohhh-ah_ ," Aerith moaned, wide-eyed when she felt his tongue bury itself inside her and lapped against her inner walls. Her clutch on the bed grew tighter when his lips played against her pussy with their hungry ambition to devour her.

He moaned and gave her butt a healthy squeeze as he massaged her. He was overwhelmed with the sweet taste and scent of her and longed for more as he hungrily drank her in. His tongue furiously lapped inside her, sliding and slipping inside of her as he collected her juices on his tongue.

Her eyes fell half-lidded in pure bliss when his fingers went to spread her pussy for him and his hot mouth started sucking on her clit. " _Ahhh!_ Cloud!" 

Her face turned red and she gasped for air to fill her lungs, feeling that hard, rosy nub sucked into his hot mouth. Intense waves of pleasure quickly coursed through her and she needed more - she needed him to fill her.

"Cloud, - _ahh_ \- I need you," she begged and pulled herself from his mouth reluctantly, turning herself around to sit on the bed. "Please, take me now."

Cloud kneeled on the bed with her and captured her lips with hers. Her tongue licked across his lips and tasted her juices, the two caught in their passion as their arms wrapped around one another in a gentle embrace.

Caught up in the hot kiss, Aerith pushed Cloud's shoulders until his back met the mattress and his head fell into the soft pillows. With his hands tight on her waist, he brought her down on top of him, their bodies pressing against one another.

"I want you like this," whispered Aerith, placing a warm kiss to his neck. She groaned when she felt his hard cock press against her wet entrance. "I want you now."

She moved to straddle his waist and grabbed his cock, moving it to her entrance and coating it with her hot juices.

Cloud let out a husky growl at the wet, hot contact and desired to finally bury himself deep inside of her and become one with her in the most physical, intimate way possible.

"Aerith...," Cloud took the moment to stare deep into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, Cloud," she smiled beautifully at him.

Her eyes shut in bliss as she slowly slid down his long length and gasped, feeling that incredible, burning stretch as he sank deep into her.

" _Ohh_ \- fuck, Aerith," Cloud's eyes went wide. The feeling was overwhelming as he was swallowed fully into her, feeling her hot, velvety grip squeeze him. He resisted the urge to thrust into her body, not entirely sure if his large size was painful to her.

When she had taken him to the hilt, she closed her eyes and held him there for a long moment. Her breath came slow and heavy as she allowed her body to get used to the size and feel of him. Low moans escaped her when she felt his cock pule deep within her, making her feel so remarkably full.

Cloud's hands gently rose to her hips, his fingers tickling over her skin as if to soothe her.

She smiled down at him in gratitude and started a slow and sexy pace, sliding her wet slit up and down his cock as she took him in. " _Mmm-ahh_ ," a low whimper escaped her.

" _Ohh_ ," he let out a throaty groan, feeling her walls grip him tightly once they started moving. It was all so hot and tight and wet and felt incredible. " _Aerith..._ "

She licked her lips and bent down to him, pressing her lips against his. Their mouths played against one another and their hips continued the slow and steady pace that filled their bodies with building heat.

Cloud groaned into the kiss and dearly held her hips, as she continued to ride him in slow, smooth strokes.

She laughed against his lips, "How did I get so lucky? You're a generous lover, Cloud."

"What are you talking about," he smiled, moaning as she slid down his length again.

"You want to be the first to please me and now you're making sure not to hurt me," she explained and took him fully in, holding him deep inside her.

Cloud groaned as he completely sunk into her hot depths and stayed there. "I wanna make you feel good." He explained with a blush.

"I told you, Cloud. Don't treat me like I'm fragile," she placed a hot line of kisses up his neck. She rose up his cock just enough to keep the tip buried inside her, and then she pressed her lips against his and dangerously whispered, "I want you to fuck me. _Hard_."

Cloud groaned out at the lewd command that escaped out of her her sweet lips, but it aroused him and lit his blood on fire. He searched her eyes for permission to continue and she captured his lips in a passionate kiss . Their tongues danced against one another, before she pulled away and slowly slipped him more of him back inside of her.

"Please...," she practically begged.

"Yes, ma'am," Cloud growled and thrust his hips up, slamming his cock deep into her, reaching farther into her than he had gone before.

" _Oooh - Cloud!_ " Aerith panted, feeling him pound deep inside of her and wanting to keep him there. She felt so incredibly stretched and full with each strong thrust into her. She let herself fall onto his chest, her breasts pressing into him tightly.

Cloud grabbed her butt tightly and used his grip to move her deeper and harder down onto his thick cock. "You feel so good. _Ahh_ -so good," his mouth fell open as a large growl escaped him, feeling her tight walls contract against him and become suddenly tighter.

"Harder, Cloud!" Aerith moaned in hunger against his neck. "Please. Go harder!"

"Yes, ma'am," he reiterated louder this time and thrust faster and harder to her. His hands stayed on her butt, using it to force her down to take his cock fully and deeply with each powerful, burning stroke.

"Yes! _Yes, mmm_!" Soft cries of pleasure came from her with each hard, deep thrust as she rode him.

Cloud moved his hands to her hips and angled her so that his cock would pound up against that sweet spot deep inside of her with every hard stroke. He groaned and kissed her, their tongues playing against one another. He watched as her beautiful breasts bounced with each of his hard thrusts and his hands rose to cup them, squeezing and gently massaging her. 

"Right there. _Ahh_ _\- right there!_ " Aerith cried out, feeling herself being pushed closer over the edge every time his cock slammed deep into her pussy. The delicious burn and heat within her overwhelmed her as she felt her skin become white hot and boiling wet heat came flooding from her core. 

"Cloud - _ahh_! I'm co-I'm coming! _Ahhh!_ " She let out a cry, feeling her hot juices flood from her as she orgasmed, Her legs trembled and she tossed her head back as she descended from that high. Cloud continued to fuck her hard and deep to help her ride out her orgasm.

Cloud quickly smiled in achievement, before he gritted through his teeth and a low moan escaped him. Her spasming, contracting walls clamped tightly around him as she climaxed, threatening to squeeze and milk him dry of every last drop. 

He felt the sweat drip down his body as he maintained the fast, intense pounding deep into her. With two last hard thrusts, he felt that burning heat inside him explode into an inferno and his mind blanked with waves upon waves of pleasure.

His mouth dropped open with a intense grunt and he tightly gripped her ass. "Fuck. Aerith, I'm-I'm coming!"

"Come for me, Cloud," Aerith groaned and sank herself fully down on him to the hilt, making sure he filled her completely.

His mouth opened as a strained growl escaped him. He spilled himself fully inside her, feeling his hardness pulsate deep within as he did. He looked at her face, overwhelmed and flushed from the passion of their love-making, as she felt his hot cum spread a warm heat through her. She tossed her head back when she felt filled to the brim.

The two stayed like that for a long while, both recovering as they descended from that unimaginable high. They needed to hold each other, to kiss one another, to remain just like this for the rest of the night.

Aerith gave a soft whimper as Cloud slowly withdrew from her. She rested her head against his strong chest as his arms went to pull the blankets up to their waists.

"That was amazing," Aerith whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You're amazing," Cloud smiled at her and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I think it's time for a shower."

"Mind if I join you," she smiled up at him. "Might you be interested in a round two, bodyguard?"

"A round two already?" Cloud grinned at the thought. 

"A _rematch_ ," Aerith reasoned. "I know I got the better of you in this round."

"Oh, you know so?" He chuckled and squeezed her tightly.

"Yup, and I'll get the better of you in this rematch, too," she threatened with a smile.

"Oh, we'll see about that," he gave her a dangerous smirk. "Really making the most of this date, huh? Not that I mind."

"I said I wanted to cherish the night with you. The whole night," she reminded him with a wink. "Every minute. Every moment. I want to cherish them all with you."

He smirked and kissed her forehead, "I'll get the shower started."

"Good," she rested her head against him and smiled into his chest, enjoying the feeling of their two bodies pressed against one another, lost in the aftermath of their intense love-making.

"Aerith..." Cloud gently trailed his fingers through her hair and he smiled, holding her in his embrace.

"Hm?" She looked up at him.

He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft, sweet kiss that conveyed all the love he had for her in his heart. "I'll always cherish what you've given me."

A chance to be happy, to love her endlessly, to make the most of every moment they had together.

The future was a blank slate and it was theirs to claim - to find their destiny together.

"This time, I won't let you go."

"This time, you won't have to," she smiled, placing a soft kiss against his chest, over his heart. 

He held her tight, bringing her face up to him to kiss her again. This time, he knew that fate could never separate them again. 

Their destinies - their love - _was forever intertwined_.

**FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *comes out of hiding after writing smut* Okayyy...thank you everyone for reading! Hope you guys enjoyed the cute, romantic fluff for 80% of the fic before it dove headfirst into romantic, sexy smut! Thank you to everyone who's read, left comments and gave kudos on this work. I really appreciate it and hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Also.
> 
> Did I leave this open-ended for a potential sexy shower sequel?? Absolutely. Give me a time and place and I will write Clerith smut there. Bye.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Updating soon!


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